UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13

OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017

Commission File No. 0-17973

HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

Florida

59-2291344

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

 

12625 High Bluff Drive, Suite 305, San Diego, CA

92130

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

 

(858) 847-0656

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Common Stock, $0.01 par value.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes       No  

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.    Yes       No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes       No  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes       No  

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer

 

  

Accelerated filer

 

Non-accelerated filer

 

  (Do not check if a small reporting company)

  

Smaller reporting company

 

 

 

 

 

Emerging growth company

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    Yes       No  

The aggregate market value of Common Stock held by non-affiliates based upon the closing price of $0.35 per share on June 30, 2017, as reported by the OTCQB, was approximately $6.6 million.

As of March 2, 2018, there were 28,480,148 shares of Common Stock, $0.01 par value, outstanding.

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

PAGE

PART I

Item 1.

Business.

3

Item 1A.

Risk Factors.

5

Item 1B.

Unresolved Staff Comments.

8

Item 2.

Properties.

8

Item 3.

Legal Proceedings.

8

Item 4.

Mine Safety Disclosures.

9

 

 

 

PART II

Item 5.

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

10

Item 6.

Selected Financial Data.

11

Item 7.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

11

Item 7A.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

19

Item 8.

Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

19

Item 9.

Changes In and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

19

Item 9A.

Controls and Procedures.

20

Item 9B.

Other Information.

20

 

 

 

PART III

Item 10.

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.

21

Item 11.

Executive Compensation.

25

Item 12.

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.

31

Item 13.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.

33

Item 14.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

34

 

 

 

PART IV

Item 15.

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.

36

Item 16.

Form 10-K Summary

38

 

 

 

2


Forward-Looking Information

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Report”) contains certain “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management’s exercise of business judgment as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used in this document, the words “may,” "will,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” and words of similar import, are intended to identify any forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current view of future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including those noted under Item 1A “Risk Factors” below. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation, and do not intend, to update, revise or otherwise publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of any unanticipated events. Although we believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will materialize.

PART I

Item 1. Business.

Overview, History and Recent Developments

Heritage Global Inc. (“HGI”, and together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “we”, “us”, “our” or the “Company”) was incorporated in Florida in 1983 under the name “MedCross, Inc.” Our name was changed to “I-Link Incorporated” in 1997, to “Acceris Communications Inc.” in 2003, to “C2 Global Technologies Inc.” in 2005, to “Counsel RB Capital Inc.” in 2011, and to Heritage Global Inc. in 2013. The most recent name change more closely identifies HGI with its core auction business, Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (“HGP”).

In 2014, HGI acquired all of the issued and outstanding capital stock in National Loan Exchange, Inc. (“NLEX”), a broker of charged-off receivables in the United States and Canada. As a result of this acquisition, NLEX operates as one of our wholly owned divisions.

In July 2016, we completed the sale of our real estate inventory to International Investments and Infrastructure, LLC (“III”) for $4.1 million.  Concurrently, and in accordance with the purchase and sale agreement, the previously existing lease agreement between us and an affiliate of III was terminated.  Refer to Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements for further information.  

In July 2016, we repaid $2.5 million of outstanding principal, plus accrued interest, on our loan with an unrelated party (the “Third Party Debt”) and terminated our loan agreement with the third party.  Refer to Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements for further information.    

The organization chart below outlines our basic domestic corporate structure as of December 31, 2017.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heritage Global Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Florida) (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100%

 

 

100%

 

 

100%

 

 

Heritage Global

Partners, Inc.

(California) (2)

 

Heritage Global LLC

(Delaware) (3)

 

National Loan

Exchange, Inc.

(Illinois) (5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity Partners HG

LLC

(Delaware) (4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

Registrant.

(2)

Full service global auction, appraisal and asset advisory company.

(3)

Asset liquidation company which acquires and monetizes distressed and surplus assets.

 

3


(4)

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) advisory firm specializing in financially distressed businesses and properties.

(5)

Broker of charged-off receivables.

Asset liquidation

We are a value-driven, innovative leader in corporate and financial asset liquidation transactions, valuations and advisory services.  We specialize both in acting as an adviser, as well as acquiring or brokering turnkey manufacturing facilities, surplus industrial machinery and equipment, industrial inventories, real estate, accounts receivable portfolios, intellectual property, and entire business enterprises.

Our asset liquidation business began operations in 2009 with the establishment of Heritage Global LLC (“HG LLC”). In addition to acquiring turnkey manufacturing facilities and used industrial machinery and equipment, HG LLC arranges traditional asset disposition sales, including liquidation and auction sales. In 2011, HG LLC acquired 100% of the business of Equity Partners HG LLC f/k/a EP USA, LLC (“Equity Partners”), thereby expanding our operations. Equity Partners is a boutique M&A advisory firm and provider of financial solutions for businesses and properties in transition.  

In 2012, we increased our in-house asset liquidation expertise with our acquisition of 100% of the outstanding equity of HGP, a global full-service auction, appraisal and asset advisory firm, and launched Heritage Global Partners Europe (“HGP Europe”). Through our wholly-owned subsidiary Heritage Global Partners UK Limited, we opened three European-based offices, one each in the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain.

In 2014, we again expanded our asset liquidation operations with the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding equity of NLEX. NLEX is the largest volume broker of charged-off receivables in the United States and Canada, and its offerings include national, state and regional portfolios on behalf of many of the world’s top financial institutions. The NLEX acquisition is consistent with our strategy to expand and diversify the services provided by its asset liquidation business.

As a result of the events and acquisitions outlined above, management believes that our expanded global platform will allow us to achieve our long term industry leadership goals.

Employees

As of December 31, 2017, we had 48 employees: 27 are employed by HGP, 14 by NLEX, and seven by Equity Partners.  

Industry and Competition

Our asset liquidation business consists primarily of the auction, appraisal and asset advisory services provided by HGP, mergers and acquisitions advisory services provided by Equity Partners, and the accounts receivable brokerage services provided by NLEX. Our asset liquidation business also includes the purchase and sale, including at auction, of industrial machinery and equipment, real estate, inventories, accounts receivable and distressed debt. The market for these services and assets is highly fragmented. To acquire auction or appraisal contracts, or assets for resale, we compete with other liquidators, auction companies, dealers and brokers. We also compete with them for potential purchasers, as well as with equipment manufacturers, distributors, dealers and equipment rental companies. Some competitors have significantly greater financial and marketing resources and name recognition.

Our business strategy includes the option of partnering with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). These Joint Ventures give us access to more opportunities, helping to mitigate some of the competition from the market’s larger participants and contribute to our objective to be the leading resource for clients requiring capital asset solutions.

Government Regulation

We are subject to federal, state and local consumer protection laws, including laws protecting the privacy of customer non-public information and regulations prohibiting unfair and deceptive trade practices. Many jurisdictions also regulate “auctions” and “auctioneers” and may regulate online auction services. These consumer protection laws and regulations could result in substantial compliance costs and could interfere with the conduct of our business.

Legislation in the United States, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, has increased public companies’ regulatory and compliance costs as well as the scope and cost of work provided by independent registered public

 

4


accountants and legal advisors. The mandatory adoption of XBRL reporting in 2011 has also increased our costs paid to third party service providers. As regu latory and compliance guidelines continue to evolve, we expect to continue to incur costs, which may or may not be material, in order to comply with legislative requirements or rules, pronouncements and guidelines by regulatory bodies.

Available Information

We file certain reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. We are an electronic filer, and the SEC maintains an Internet site at http://www.sec.gov that contains the reports and information statements and other information we file electronically. Our website address is www. heritageglobalinc.com . Please note that our website address is provided as an inactive textual reference only. The information provided on our website is not part of this report, and is therefore not incorporated by reference unless such information is specifically referenced elsewhere in this report.

 

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

You should carefully consider and evaluate these risk factors, as any of them could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations, which, in turn, can adversely affect the price of our securities.

We face significant competition in our asset liquidation business.

Our asset liquidation business depends on our ability to successfully obtain a continuous supply of auction or appraisal contracts, or distressed and surplus assets for profitable resale to third parties. In this regard, we compete with numerous other organizations, some of which are much larger and better-capitalized, with greater resources available for both asset acquisition and associated marketing to potential customers. Additionally, some competitors have a longer history of activity in the asset liquidation business and may have advantages with respect to accessing both deals and capital.

Our asset liquidation business is subject to inventory risk and credit risk.

Under our business model, when not acting solely as an auctioneer, we assume the general and physical inventory and credit risks associated with purchasing assets for subsequent resale. Although we do enter into transactions for which a subsequent purchaser has already been identified, in most cases we purchase assets and assume the risk that they may sell for less than our forecasted price. Further, we may miscalculate demand or resale value and subsequently sell the assets for less than their original purchase price. Either situation could have a material adverse effect upon our use of working capital and our results of operations.

Our operating results are subject to significant fluctuation.

Our revenue and operating results are subject to fluctuation from quarter to quarter and from year to year due to the nature of the asset liquidation business, which involves discrete deals of varying size that are very difficult to predict. The timing of revenue recognition related to significant transactions can materially affect quarterly and annual operating results. Despite the accompanying variability of direct asset liquidation costs, quarterly fixed costs that are largely composed of salaries and benefits could exceed our gross profit. There can therefore be no assurance that we can achieve or sustain profitability on a quarterly or annual basis.

We are subject to the risks associated with managing growth.

Since the establishment of our asset liquidation business in 2009, we have experienced significant growth.  This has occurred through the acquisitions of Equity Partners in 2011, HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014. This growth requires an increased investment in personnel, systems and facilities. In the absence of continued revenue growth, our operating margins could decline from current levels. Additional acquisitions will be accompanied by such risks as exposure to unknown liabilities of acquired businesses, unexpected acquisition expenses, greater than anticipated investments in personnel, systems and facilities, the expense of integrating new and existing operations, diversion of senior management resources, and dilution to existing stockholders. Failure to anticipate and manage these risks could have a material adverse effect upon our business and results of operations.

 

5


A portion of our asset liquidation business is conducted t hrough Joint Ventures.

Conducting business through Joint Ventures, as described above under “Industry and Competition,” allows us to participate in significantly larger deals than those we could fund independently. If we ceased entering into Joint Ventures, or our Joint Venture partners decide not to partner with us, the pool of potential transactions would be reduced. Further, upon entering into Joint Ventures, we become exposed to the uncertainties of the activities of our partners.  This could negatively impact our ability to obtain a continuous supply of assets for resale, and could have a material adverse effect upon our use of working capital and our results of operations.

We are subject to foreign currency exchange rate risk.

During 2012, we expanded our operations to the United Kingdom (“UK”), Spain, and Germany. Our UK operations are conducted in pounds sterling (£) and our Spain and Germany operations are conducted in euros (€), rather than in U.S. dollars. To date we have been required to use funds generated by our U.S. operations to meet a portion of European obligations as they come due. We thereby incur exchange rate risk. We conduct some of our asset liquidation transactions in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, which exposes us to foreign exchange risk.  Although this risk has not had a material impact on our business and operations to date, failure to anticipate and adequately manage this risk could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and our results of operations.

The auction portion of our asset liquidation business may be subject to a variety of additional costly government regulations.

Many states and other jurisdictions have regulations governing the conduct of traditional “auctions” and the liability of traditional “auctioneers” in conducting auctions, which may also apply to online auction services. In addition, certain states have laws or regulations that expressly apply to online auction services. We expect to continue to incur costs in complying with these laws and could be subject to fines or other penalties for any failure to comply with these laws. We may be required to make changes in our business to comply with these laws, which could increase our costs, reduce our revenue, and cause us to prohibit the listing of certain items, or otherwise adversely affect our financial condition or operating results.

Certain categories of merchandise that we sell are subject to government restrictions.

We sell merchandise, such as scientific instruments, that is subject to export control and economic sanctions laws, among other laws, imposed by the United States and other governments. Such restrictions include the U.S. Export Administration regulations, the International Traffic in Arms regulations, and economic sanctions and embargo laws administered by the Office of the Foreign Assets Control regulations. These restrictions prohibit us from, among other things, selling property to (1) persons or entities that appear on lists of restricted or prohibited parties maintained by the United States or other governments or (2) countries, regimes, or nationals that are the target of applicable economic sanctions or other embargoes.

We may incur significant costs or be required to modify our business to comply with these requirements. If we are alleged to have violated any of these laws or regulations we may be subject to civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, including termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of payments, fines, and suspension or prohibition from doing business with U.S. federal government agencies. In addition, we could suffer serious harm to our reputation if allegations of impropriety are made against us, whether or not true.

We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”).

We are subject to the FCPA, which generally prohibits U.S. companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Our 2012 expansion into Europe has increased the risk of non-compliance with the FCPA. Failure to comply with the FCPA could subject us to, among other things, penalties and legal expenses that could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our asset liquidation business is subject to environmental risk.

Our asset liquidation business at times includes the purchase and resale of buildings and land. Although our purchase process includes due diligence to determine that there are no material adverse environmental issues, it is possible that such issues could be discovered subsequent to a completed purchase. Any remediation and related costs could have a material adverse effect upon our business and results of operations.

 

6


We a re dependent upon key personnel.

Our operations are substantially dependent on the knowledge, skills and performance of several of our executive officers, particularly our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer/President, President of NLEX, and Senior Managing Director of Equity Partners. The loss of any of these officers could damage key relationships and result in the loss of essential information and expertise. As our operations expand, we will be required to hire additional employees and may face competition for them. Therefore, either the loss of the services of the above existing officers, or the inability to attract and retain appropriately skilled new employees, could have a material adverse effect upon our business and results of operations.

We may require additional financing in the future, which may not be available, or may not be available on favorable terms.

We may need additional funds to finance the operations of our asset liquidation business, to make additional investments, or to acquire complementary businesses or assets. We may be unable to generate these funds from our operations. If funds are not available, or not available on acceptable terms, we could experience a material adverse effect upon our business.

Provisions in our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, could prevent or delay stockholders' attempts to replace or remove current management.

Our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, provide for staggered terms for the members of our Board of Directors (the “Board”). The Board is divided into three staggered classes, and each director serves a term of three years. This means that only one class of directors can be replaced at a single annual stockholders’ meeting. These provisions may tend to preserve our current management and the Board in a hostile tender offer, and may have an adverse impact on stockholders who may want to participate in such a tender offer, or who may want to replace some or all of the members of the Board.

Our Board of Directors may issue additional shares of preferred stock without stockholder approval.

Our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, authorize the issuance of up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $10.00 par value per share. The Board is authorized to determine the rights and preferences of any additional series or class of preferred stock. The Board may, without stockholder approval, issue shares of preferred stock with dividend, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that are senior to our shares of common stock or that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the existing holders of outstanding shares of preferred stock or common stock. The issuance of additional shares of preferred stock may also hamper or discourage an acquisition or change in control of the Company.

We may conduct future offerings of our common stock and preferred stock and pay debt obligations with our common and preferred stock that may diminish our investors’ pro rata ownership and depress our stock price.

We reserve the right to make future offers and sales, either public or private, of our securities including shares of our preferred stock, common stock or securities convertible into common stock at prices differing from the price of the common stock previously issued. In the event that any such future sales of securities are affected or we use our common or preferred stock to pay principal or interest on our debt obligations, an investor’s pro rata ownership interest may be reduced to the extent of any such issuances and, to the extent that any such sales are effected at consideration which is less than that paid by the investor, the investor may experience dilution and a diminution in the market price of the common stock.

There is a limited public trading market for our common stock; the market price of our common stock has been volatile and could experience substantial fluctuations.

Our common stock is currently traded in the OTC market in the United States and has a limited public trading market in the United States.  Our common stock is traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange, and the market there is similarly limited.  Without an active trading market, there can be no assurance regarding the liquidity or resale value of the common stock. In addition, the market price of our common stock has been, and may continue to be, volatile. Such price fluctuations may be affected by general market price movements or by reasons unrelated to our operating performance or prospects such as, among other things, announcements concerning us or our competitors, technological innovations, government regulations, and litigation concerning proprietary rights or other matters.

 

7


Changes in tax laws or their interpretations, or becoming subject to additional foreign, U.S. federal, state or local taxes, cou ld negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to extensive tax liabilities, including U.S. federal and state taxes. Changes in tax laws or their interpretations could decrease the amount of revenues we receive, the value of any tax loss carry forwards and tax credits recorded on our balance sheet and the amount of our cash flow, and have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Some of our tax liabilities are subject to periodic audits by the respective taxing authority which could increase our tax liabilities. If we are required to pay additional taxes, our costs would increase and our net income would be reduced, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed into law H.R. 1, originally known as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” which includes significant changes to the taxation of business entities. These changes include, among others, a reduction in the corporate income tax rate. We continue to examine the impact this tax reform legislation may have on our business. Notwithstanding the reduction in the corporate income tax rate, the overall impact of this tax reform is uncertain, and our business and financial condition could be adversely affected.

We may not be able to utilize income tax loss carry forwards.

Restrictions in our ability to utilize income tax loss carry forwards have occurred in the past due to the application of certain changes in ownership tax rules in the United States. There is no certainty that the application of these rules may not recur. In addition, further restrictions of, reductions in, or expiration of net operating loss and net capital loss carry forwards may occur through future merger, acquisition and/or disposition transactions or through failure to continue a significant level of business activities. Any such additional limitations could require us to pay income taxes in the future and record an income tax expense to the extent of such liability. We could be liable for income taxes on an overall basis while having unutilized tax loss carry forwards since these losses may be applicable to one jurisdiction and/or particular line of business while earnings may be applicable to a different jurisdiction and/or line of business. Additionally, income tax loss carry forwards may expire before we have the ability to utilize such losses in a particular jurisdiction and there is no certainty that current income tax rates will remain in effect at the time when we have the opportunity to utilize reported tax loss carry forwards. Thus, any net operating loss arising in a taxable year ending before January 1, 2018 may only be carried forward for 20 taxable years following the taxable year of such loss. Any net operating loss arising in a taxable year ending on or after January 1, 2018 can be carried forward indefinitely. In addition, any net operating loss deduction with respect to a net operating loss arising in a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017 is limited to 80% of our taxable income in the year in which deduction is taken.

We have not declared any dividends on our common stock to date and have no expectation of doing so in the foreseeable future.

The payment of cash dividends on our common stock rests within the discretion of our Board of Directors and will depend, among other things, upon our earnings, unencumbered cash, capital requirements and our financial condition, as well as other relevant factors. To date, we have not paid dividends on our common stock nor do we anticipate that we will pay dividends in the foreseeable future. As of December 31, 2017, we do not have any preferred stock outstanding that has any preferential dividends.

 

 

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

 

 

Item 2. Properties.

We lease or rent office space in several locations in the United States. The principal locations are San Diego, CA and Burlingame, CA, which are related to HGP’s operations, and Edwardsville, IL, which is related to NLEX’s operations. We also maintain offices in Los Angeles, CA; Scottsdale, AZ; Farmington Hills, MI and Easton, MD. The Edwardsville office is leased from a related party, as discussed in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

We are involved in various legal matters arising out of our operations in the normal course of business, none of which are expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on us.

 

 

8


 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not Applicable.

 

 

 

9


PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Market Information

Shares of our common stock, $0.01 par value per share, are quoted under the symbol “HGBL” in the OTC market (“OTCQB”), and under the symbol “HGP” on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”).

The following table sets forth the high and low prices for our common stock, as quoted on the OTCQB, for the calendar quarters from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017, based on inter-dealer quotations, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commissions. These prices may not represent actual transactions, and are quoted in U.S. dollars:

 

Quarter Ended

 

High

 

 

Low

 

March 31, 2016

 

$

0.45

 

 

$

0.11

 

June 30, 2016

 

 

0.26

 

 

 

0.14

 

September 30, 2016

 

 

0.61

 

 

 

0.19

 

December 31, 2016

 

 

0.50

 

 

 

0.18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2017

 

$

0.77

 

 

$

0.33

 

June 30, 2017

 

 

0.49

 

 

 

0.28

 

September 30, 2017

 

 

0.52

 

 

 

0.26

 

December 31, 2017

 

 

0.57

 

 

 

0.30

 

 

On March 2, 2018, the closing price for a share of our common stock as quoted on the OTCQB was $0.43.

The following table sets forth the high and low prices for our common stock, as quoted on the CSE, for the calendar quarters from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2017, based on inter-dealer quotations, without retail mark-up, mark-down or commissions. These prices may not represent actual transactions, and are quoted in Canadian dollars:  

 

Quarter Ended

 

High

 

 

Low

 

March 31, 2016

 

$

0.44

 

 

$

0.17

 

June 30, 2016

 

 

0.25

 

 

 

0.13

 

September 30, 2016

 

 

0.60

 

 

 

0.22

 

December 31, 2016

 

 

0.65

 

 

 

0.25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2017

 

$

0.84

 

 

$

0.51

 

June 30, 2017

 

 

0.58

 

 

 

0.36

 

September 30, 2017

 

 

0.50

 

 

 

0.32

 

December 31, 2017

 

 

0.55

 

 

 

0.41

 

 

On March 2, 2018, the closing price for a share of our common stock as quoted on the CSE was Canadian $0.51.

 

 

Holders

As of March 2, 2018, we had approximately 394 holders of common stock of record.

Dividends

To date, we have not paid dividends on our common stock nor do we anticipate that we will pay dividends in the foreseeable future. As of December 31, 2017, we do not have any preferred stock outstanding which has any preferential dividends.

 

 

10


Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities.

On March 28, 2017, one of our directors exercised a previously granted option to purchase 10,000 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $0.08 per share.  No commissions were paid on this purchase.  This purchase was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act and/or Regulation D promulgated thereunder.  

 

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

None.

 

 

Item 6. Selected Financial Data.

As a Smaller Reporting Company, we are electing scaled reporting obligations and therefore are not required to provide the information requested by this Item.

 

 

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto, included in Item 15 of this Report. Our accounting policies have the potential to have a significant impact on our financial statements, either because of the significance of the financial statement item to which they relate, or because they require judgment and estimation due to the uncertainty involved in measuring, at a specific point in time, events that are continuous in nature.

Business Overview, Recent Developments and Outlook

Please see Item 1, above, of this Report for an overview of our business and recent developments. Please see Item 1A, above, for a discussion of the risk factors that may impact our current and future operations, and financial condition.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity

At December 31, 2017, we had a working capital deficit of $5.6 million, as compared to a working capital deficit of $4.1 million at December 31, 2016, an increase in the deficit of $1.5 million.

 

Our current assets decreased to $3.0 million compared to $4.4 million at December 31, 2016. Within current assets, the most significant change was a decrease of $0.9 million in accounts receivable, primarily the result of payments owed to us for activities related to our asset liquidation transactions in the fourth quarter.

 

Our current liabilities remained relatively constant at $8.7 million as compared to $8.6 at December 31, 2016.  The most significant change was the $1.7 million decrease in the accounts payable and accrued liabilities, primarily the result of timing of certain auction settlement liabilities, offset by an increase in the current portion of contingent consideration due to timing of the final contingent consideration payment owed to the former owner (and current president) of NLEX in 2018.

 

We believe we can fund our operations, our working capital deficit, and our debt service obligations during 2018 and beyond through a combination of cash flows from our on-going asset liquidation operations and accessing financing from our existing line of credit.  

Our current Related Party debt consists of the Street Capital Loan (as defined below). During the third quarter of 2016, we repaid the outstanding balance of the Third Party Debt and terminated an agreement with the unrelated party.  The Street Capital Loan is with our former majority stockholder, Street Capital, and the amount of principal outstanding has varied over time.  In the third quarter of 2016, we amended the Street Capital Loan to structure payment terms of the outstanding balance, beginning in the third

 

11


quarter of 2016, and ending in the third quarter of 2018.  At December 31, 2017 the Street Capital Loan had a current outstanding balance of $0.4 million as compared to $1.0 million at December 31, 2016.

Our Third Party debt consists of a Promissory Note dated January 30, 2018 (the “Note”) issued in the amount of $1,260,000. We are required to pay off the Note in 36 equal installments of $35,000, and any remaining outstanding balance hereunder shall be due and payable in full on January 30, 2021.

During 2017, our primary sources of cash were the operations of our asset liquidation business.  Cash disbursements during 2017 consisted of debt repayment of $0.6 million (all of which was paid to Street Capital), payment of the contingent consideration owed to the former owner (and current president) of NLEX in the amount of $0.9 million, and payment of operating expenses.  

We expect that our asset liquidation business will continue to be the primary source of cash required for ongoing operations for the foreseeable future.

Ownership Structure and Capital Resources

At December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we had stockholders’ equity of $3.5 million.

We determine our future capital and operating requirements based upon our current and projected operating performance and the extent of our contractual commitments.  We expect to be able to finance our future operations through a combination of our asset liquidation business and securing additional debt financing. Our contractual requirements are limited to the outstanding debt, contingent consideration liability, and lease commitments with related and unrelated parties.  Capital requirements are generally limited to our purchases of surplus and distressed assets.  We believe that our current capital resources, including available borrowing capacity from our existing line of credit, are sufficient for these requirements.  In the event additional capital is needed, we believe we can obtain additional debt financing through either related party loans or through a new credit facility.      

Cash Position and Cash Flows

Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2017 were $2.1 million compared to $2.5 million at December 31, 2016.

Cash provided by or used in operating activities. Cash provided by operating activities was $1.2 million during 2017 as compared to $3.9 million cash provided by operating activities during 2016. The approximate $2.7 million decrease was primarily attributable to a net unfavorable change of $4.6 million in the operating assets and liabilities in 2017 compared to 2016, the result of completing the sale of our real estate inventory in the third quarter of 2016 and additional net unfavorable changes in other operating assets and liabilities of $0.8 million. The change in operating assets and liabilities was offset by a favorable change in the net (loss) income adjusted for noncash items, which was $1.8 million better during 2017 compared to 2016, mainly attributable to the legal settlement and the fair value adjustment of the contingent consideration in 2017.  

The significant changes in operating assets and liabilities during 2017 as compared to 2016 are primarily due to the nature of our operations. We earn revenue from discrete asset liquidation deals that vary considerably with respect to their magnitude and timing, and that can consist of fees, commissions, asset sale proceeds, or a combination of all. The operating assets and liabilities associated with these deals are therefore subject to the same variability and can be quite different at the end of any given period.

Cash used in investing activities. Cash used in investing activities during 2017 was $44,000, as compared to $79,000 cash provided during 2016. In both 2016 and 2017, the cash used was for the purchase of property and equipment.

Cash used in financing activities. Cash used in financing activities was $1.6 million during 2017, as compared to $4.1 million during 2016. The 2017 activity consisted of a draw and full repayment within our related party line of credit, $0.6 million of repayments to Street Capital, and $0.9 million of contingent consideration paid to the former owner (and current president) of NLEX. The 2016 activity consisted of repayments to Street Capital ($0.8 million) and an unrelated third party ($2.5 million), and $0.8 million of contingent consideration paid to the former owner (and current president) of NLEX.  We also received proceeds of $1.1 million from related party loans during 2016, and repaid the amount in full as of December 31, 2016.  

 

12


Management’s Discussion of Results of Operations

The following table summarizes our consolidated results of operations for 2017 and 2016 (in thousands).

 

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services revenue

 

$

17,937

 

 

$

15,371

 

Asset sales

 

 

2,192

 

 

 

8,462

 

Total revenue

 

 

20,129

 

 

 

23,833

 

Operating costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of services revenue

 

 

3,007

 

 

 

4,187

 

Cost of asset sales

 

 

1,706

 

 

 

7,131

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

13,597

 

 

 

12,009

 

Settlement accrual (Note 9)

 

 

1,142

 

 

 

-

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

313

 

 

 

316

 

Total operating costs and expenses

 

 

19,765

 

 

 

23,643

 

Operating income

 

 

364

 

 

 

190

 

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

(938

)

 

 

(92

)

Interest and other expense, net

 

 

(95

)

 

 

(63

)

(Loss) income before income tax expense

 

 

(669

)

 

 

35

 

Income tax (benefit) expense

 

 

(420

)

 

 

21

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(249

)

 

$

14

 

 

Our asset liquidation revenue has several components:  (1) traditional fee based asset disposition services, such as commissions from on-line and webcast auctions, liquidations and negotiated sales, and commissions from the NLEX charged-off receivables business, (2) the acquisition and subsequent disposition of distressed and surplus assets, including industrial machinery and equipment and real estate, and (3) fees earned for appraisal and management advisory services. We also earn income from our asset liquidation business through our earnings from equity method investments.

2017 Compared to 2016

Revenues and cost of revenues - Revenues were $20.1 million in 2017 compared to $23.8 million in 2016 and costs of services revenue and asset sales were $4.7 million in 2017 compared to $11.3 million in 2016. The gross profits were therefore $15.4 million in 2017 compared to $12.5 million in 2016, an increase of approximately $2.9 million or approximately 23%. The significant decrease in revenue in 2017 was primarily the result of our sale of the real estate inventory in 2016.  In addition, cost of services revenue decreased during 2017 as compared to 2016, and services revenue increased during 2017 as compared to 2016, based on a higher volume of deals for the Equity Partners and NLEX divisions, which have lower direct costs as compared to deals for HGP. Because we conduct our asset liquidation operations both independently and through partnerships, and the ratio of the two is unlikely to remain constant in each period, the operations must be considered as a whole rather than on a line-by-line basis. The gross profit is a function of the volume, size and timing of asset liquidation transactions conducted during the year.    

Selling, general and administrative expense – Selling, general and administrative expense was $13.6 million in 2017 as compared to $12.0 million in 2016, an increase of $1.6 million or 13%. Expenses increased overall primarily due to the following: an increase in the annual performance bonus for the Equity Partners division based on improved financial performance; an increase in external finders fees for the Equity Partners division; an increase in salaries and commissions for the NLEX division as compared to the prior year; and an increase in our non-cash stock-based compensation expense, attributable to the Company-wide option grant in the fourth quarter of 2016.

 

13


Signi ficant components of selling, general and administrative expense were as shown below (dollars in thousands):

 

 

 

Year ended

December 31,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

 

% change

 

Compensation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HGP

 

$

3,897

 

 

$

3,936

 

 

 

-1

%

Equity Partners

 

 

1,783

 

 

 

1,468

 

 

 

21

%

NLEX

 

 

2,828

 

 

 

2,414

 

 

 

17

%

HGI

 

 

360

 

 

 

300

 

 

 

20

%

Stock-based compensation

 

 

246

 

 

 

99

 

 

 

148

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consulting

 

 

518

 

 

 

304

 

 

 

70

%

Board of Directors fees

 

 

252

 

 

 

255

 

 

 

-1

%

Accounting, tax and legal professional fees

 

 

706

 

 

 

541

 

 

 

30

%

Insurance

 

 

332

 

 

 

295

 

 

 

13

%

Occupancy

 

 

826

 

 

 

747

 

 

 

11

%

Travel and entertainment

 

 

791

 

 

 

716

 

 

 

11

%

Advertising and promotion

 

 

550

 

 

 

440

 

 

 

25

%

Other

 

 

508

 

 

 

494

 

 

 

3

%

Total selling, general and administrative expense

 

$

13,597

 

 

$

12,009

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization expense – Depreciation and amortization expense was $0.3 million in 2017 and 2016, and consisted almost entirely of amortization expense related to intangible assets.  In both years the depreciation of property and equipment was not material.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements – We had no off-balance sheet arrangements during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

 

 

14


Non-GAAP Financial Measure – Adjusted Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortizat ion (“Adjusted EBITDA”)

We prepared our consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). We use the non-GAAP financial measure “Adjusted EBITDA” in assessing our results. Adjusted EBITDA reflects the standard definition of EBITDA (net income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization, interest and other expense, and provision for income taxes), adjusted further to reflect the effects of settlement accrual charges, plus or minus fair value adjustments of contingent consideration and plus stock-based compensation.  We believe that Adjusted EBITDA is relevant and useful supplemental information for our investors. Management believes that the presentation of this non-GAAP financial measure, when considered together with our GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, provides a more complete understanding of the factors and trends affecting us than could be obtained absent these disclosures. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA to make operating and strategic decisions and to evaluate our performance. We have disclosed this non-GAAP financial measure so that our investors have the same financial data that management uses, with the intention of assisting investors to make comparisons to our historical operating results and analyze our underlying performance. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA is a useful supplemental tool to evaluate our underlying operating performance on an ongoing basis. Our use of Adjusted EBITDA is not meant to be, and should not be, considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, any GAAP financial measure. You should carefully evaluate the financial information, below, which reconciles our GAAP reported net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods presented (in thousands).

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(249

)

 

$

14

 

Add back:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

313

 

 

 

316

 

Interest and other expense, net

 

 

95

 

 

 

63

 

Income tax (benefit) expense

 

 

(420

)

 

 

21

 

EBITDA

 

 

(261

)

 

 

414

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Management add back:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stock based compensation

 

 

246

 

 

 

99

 

Settlement accrual (Note 9)

 

 

1,142

 

 

 

-

 

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

938

 

 

 

92

 

Adjusted EBITDA

 

$

2,065

 

 

$

605

 

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update (“ASU”) 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (“ASU 2016-07”), which simplifies the transition to the equity method of accounting by, among other things, eliminating retroactive adjustments to the investments as a result of an increase in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence.  ASU 2016-07 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.  

In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASU 2016-09”), which provides improvements to employee share-based payment accounting.  ASU 2016-09 simplifies the accounting and presentation of various elements of share-based compensation including, but not limited to, income taxes, excess tax benefits, statutory tax withholding requirements, payment of employee taxes, and award assumptions.  ASU 2016-09 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU 2015-17”).  ASU 2015-17 requires all deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as non-current on the balance sheet.  This amendment simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes.  ASU 2015-17 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016.  ASU 2015-17 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Future accounting pronouncements

In 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 specifies a comprehensive model to be used in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers, and supersedes most of the current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The FASB subsequently issued amendments to ASU No. 2014-09 that have the same effective date and transition date. It applies to all contracts with customers except those that are specifically within the scope of other FASB topics, and certain of its provisions also apply to transfers of nonfinancial assets, including in-substance nonfinancial assets that are not an output of an entity’s ordinary activities. The core principal of the model is that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects

 

15


the consideration to which the transferring entity expects to be entitled in exchange. To apply the revenue model, an entity will:  1) identify the contract(s) with a customer, 2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and 5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. For public companies, ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2017. Upon adoption, entities can choose to use either a full retrospective or modified approach, as outlined in ASU 2014-09. As compared with current GAAP, ASU 2014-09 requires significantly more disclosures about revenue recognition. These new standards became eff ective for us on January 1, 2018, and will be adopted using the modified retrospective method through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of that date, as applicable. Based on our assessment of the impact that these new standard s will have on our consolidated results of operations, financial position and disclosures completed to date, we have not identified any accounting changes that would materially impact the amount of reported revenues with respect to our service revenue and asset sales, or the timing of such revenues; however, certain changes are required for financial statement disclosure purposes.

In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”).  ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize a lease asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for the payments to be made to lessor, on its balance sheet for all operating leases greater than 12 months.  ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018.  We have not yet adopted ASU 2016-02 nor assessed its potential impact on the financial statements.      

In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASU 2016-15”), which clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments.  The specific cash flow issues addressed by ASU 2016-15, with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice, are as follows: (1) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; (2) settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with insignificant coupon interest rates; (3) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; (4) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; (5) proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies; (6) distributions received from equity method investees; (7) beneficial interest in securitization transactions; and (8) separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance in principle.  ASU 2016-15 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017.  We are still assessing the impact of ASU 2016-15 on our consolidated financial statements.

In 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2017-01, Business Combinations (“ASU 2017-01”), which clarifies the definition of a business under topic 805 of the Accounting Standards Codification.  The main provisions of ASU 2017-01 provide a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business.  The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business.  ASU 2017-01 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017.  We are still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-01 on our consolidated financial statements.    

In 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (“ASU 2017-04”), which simplifies the test for goodwill impairment.  The main provisions of ASU 2017-04 eliminate the second step of the goodwill impairment test which previously was performed to determine the goodwill impairment loss for an entity by calculating the difference between the implied fair value of the entity’s goodwill and its carrying value.  Under ASU 2017-04, if a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, an entity will record an impairment charge based on that difference.  The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill which is allocated to that reporting unit.  ASU 2017-04 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019.  Early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017.  We are still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-04 on our consolidated financial statements.      

 

16


Critical Accounting Policies

 

Use of estimates

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant estimates include the assessment of collectability of revenue recognized, and the valuation of accounts receivable, inventory, investments, goodwill and intangible assets, liabilities, contingent consideration, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and stock-based compensation. These estimates have the potential to significantly impact our consolidated financial statements, either because of the significance of the financial statement item to which they relate, or because they require judgment and estimation due to the uncertainty involved in measuring, at a specific point in time, events that are continuous in nature.

Revenue recognition

Services revenue generally consists of commissions and fees from providing auction services, appraisals, brokering of sales transactions and providing merger and acquisition advisory services. Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the selling price is fixed and determinable, goods or services have been provided, and collectability is reasonably assured.  For asset sales revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold, the buyer has assumed the risks and awards of ownership, we have no continuing substantive obligations and collectability is reasonably assured.

We evaluate revenue from asset liquidation transactions in accordance with the accounting guidance to determine whether to report such revenue on a gross or net basis.  We have determined that we act as an agent for our fee based asset liquidation transactions and therefore we report the revenue from transactions in which we act as an agent on a net basis.  

We also earn income through asset liquidation transactions that involve us acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to Joint Ventures. For these transactions, we do not record the revenue or expenses associated with these Joint Ventures. Instead, our proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. In general, the Joint Ventures apply the same revenue recognition and other accounting policies we do.

Cost of services revenue and asset sales

Cost of services revenue generally includes the direct costs associated with generating commissions and fees from our auction and appraisal services, merger and acquisition advisory services, and brokering of charged-off receivable portfolios.  We generally recognize these expenses in the period in which the revenue they relate to is recorded.  Cost of asset sales generally includes the cost of purchased inventory and the related direct costs of selling inventory.  We recognize these expenses in the period in which title to the inventory passes to the buyer and the buyer assumes the risk and reward of the inventory.

Accounts receivable

Our accounts receivable primarily relate to the operations of our asset liquidation business. They generally consist of three major categories:  fees, commissions and retainers relating to appraisals and auctions, receivables from asset sales, and receivables from Joint Venture partners. The initial value of an account receivable corresponds to the fair value of the underlying goods or services. To date, a majority of the receivables have been classified as current and, due to their short-term nature, any decline in fair value would be due to issues involving collectability. At each financial statement date the collectability of each outstanding account receivable is evaluated, and an allowance is recorded if the book value exceeds the amount that is deemed collectable. See Note 8 to the consolidated financial statements for more detail regarding our accounts receivable.  

Inventory

 

17


Our inventory consists of assets acquired for resale. Machinery and equipment inventory is classified as current, and historically is sold within a one-year operating cycle. Real estate inventory is generally classified as non-current due to uncertainties relating to the timing of resale. All inventory is recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value. There is a risk that assets acquired for resale may be subsequently sold for less than their cost, or may remain unsold.  Historically, the assets’ se lling prices have generally been in excess of their cost. See Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements for further detail.      

Equity Method Investments

As noted above, we conduct a portion of our asset liquidation business through Joint Ventures. These are accounted for using the equity method of accounting whereby our proportionate share of the Joint Venture’s net income (loss) is reported in the consolidated statement of operations as earnings of equity method investments. At the balance sheet date, our investments in these Joint Ventures are reported in the consolidated balance sheet as equity method investments. We monitor the value of each Joint Ventures’ underlying assets and liabilities, and records a write down of our investments should we conclude that there has been a decline in the value of the net assets. Given that the underlying transactions are identical, in all material aspects, to asset liquidation transactions that we undertake independently, the net assets are similarly expected to be sold within a one-year operating cycle.  However, these investments have historically been classified as non-current in the consolidated financial statements due to the uncertainties relating to the timing of resale of the underlying assets as a result of the Joint Venture relationship.  See Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements for further detail.  

Intangible assets and goodwill

Intangible assets are recorded at fair value upon acquisition. Those with an estimated useful life are amortized, and those with an indefinite useful life are unamortized. Subsequent to acquisition, we monitor events and changes in circumstances that require an assessment of intangible asset recoverability. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed at least annually to determine both if they remain indefinite-lived and if they are impaired.  We assess whether or not there have been any events or changes in circumstances that suggest the value of the asset may not be recoverable. Amortized intangible assets are not tested annually, but are assessed when events and changes in circumstances suggest the assets may be impaired. If an assessment determines that the carrying amount of any intangible asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized in the statement of operations, determined by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to its fair value. All of our identifiable intangible assets at December 31, 2017 have been acquired as part of the acquisitions of HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and are discussed in more detail in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements. No impairment charges were necessary during 2017.  

Goodwill, which results from the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination, is not amortized, but is tested at least annually for impairment. We perform our annual impairment test on October 1.  Testing goodwill is a two-step process, in which the carrying amount of the reporting unit associated with the goodwill is first compared to the reporting unit’s estimated fair value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the fair values of the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities are analyzed to determine whether the goodwill of the reporting unit has been impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that our recorded goodwill exceeds its implied fair value as determined by this two-step process. Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, provides the option to perform a qualitative assessment prior to performing the two-step process, which may eliminate the need for further testing. Goodwill, in addition to being tested for impairment annually, is tested for impairment at interim periods if an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is more likely than not that the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired.  

In testing goodwill, we initially use a qualitative approach and analyzes relevant factors to determine if events and circumstances have affected the value of the goodwill. If the result of this qualitative analysis indicates that the value has been impaired, we then apply a quantitative approach to calculate the difference between the goodwill’s recorded value and its fair value. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the recorded value exceeds its fair value.  All of our goodwill relates to our acquisitions of Equity Partners in 2011, HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and is discussed in more detail in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements. No impairment charges were necessary during 2017.

Future impairment of our intangible assets and goodwill could result from changes in assumptions, estimates or circumstances, some of which are beyond our control. The most significant items that could impact our business and result in an impairment charge are outlined above in Item 1A. Risk Factors .

Deferred income taxes

We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and the amounts at which they are carried in the financial statements, based upon the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the

 

18


differences are expected to reverse. We periodically assess the value of our deferred tax assets, which have been generated by a history of net operating and net capital losses, and determines the necessity for a val uation allowance that will reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. We evaluate which portion of the deferred tax assets, if any, will more likely than not be realized by offsetting future taxable income, taking into consideration any limitations that may exist on our use of our net operating and net capital loss carryforwards.  We continued to carry a full valuation allowance in 2017.  For further discussion of our income taxes, see Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements.

On December 22, 2017, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act) was enacted into law and the new legislation contains several key tax provisions that affected us, including a one-time mandatory transition tax (Toll Charge) on accumulated foreign earnings and a reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018, among others. We are required to recognize the effect of the tax law changes in the period of enactment, which will include determining the transition tax, re-measuring our U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities, as well as reassessing the net realizability of our deferred tax assets and liabilities.

Contingent consideration

At December 31, 2017 our contingent consideration consists of the estimated fair value of an earn-out provision that was part of the consideration for the acquisition of NLEX in 2014. The amount assigned to the contingent consideration at the acquisition date was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. Its fair value is assessed quarterly, and any adjustments, together with the accretion of the fair value discount, are reported as fair value adjustments on our consolidated statement of operations. See Notes 2 and 10 to the consolidated financial statements for more discussion of the contingent consideration.

Liabilities and contingencies

We are involved from time to time in various legal matters arising out of our operations in the normal course of business. On a case by case basis, we evaluate the likelihood of possible outcomes for these contingent matters. Based on this evaluation, we determine whether a loss accrual is appropriate. If the likelihood of a negative outcome is probable, and the amount can be estimated, we accrue the estimated loss in the current period.  Refer to Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements for further detail.  

Stock-based compensation

Our stock-based compensation is primarily in the form of options to purchase common shares. The fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.  The determination of the fair value of our stock options is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the price of our common stock, the expected volatility of the stock price over the expected life of the award, and expected exercise behavior.  The fair value of the awards is subsequently expensed over the vesting period, net of estimated forfeitures. The provisions of our stock-based compensation plans do not require that we settle any options by transferring cash or other assets, and therefore we classify the option awards as equity. See Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our stock-based compensation.

 

 

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.

As a Smaller Reporting Company, we are electing scaled reporting obligations and therefore are not required to provide the information requested by this Item.

 

 

Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.

Our Consolidated Financial Statements required by this Item are included herein, commencing on page F-1.

 

 

Item 9. Changes In and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

During the years ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, we had no disagreements with our auditors and no reportable events.

 

 

 

19


Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (the “Certifying Officers”), we conducted an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures. As defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act, the term “disclosure controls and procedures” means controls and other procedures of an issuer that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including the Certifying Officers, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Based on this evaluation, the Certifying Officers have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 2017.

Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, in accordance with Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Certifying Officers, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.

Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of our assets; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures are being made by us only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Based on its assessment using these criteria, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2017.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fourth fiscal quarter of 2017 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

Item 9B. Other Information.

None.

 

20


PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.

Under our Charter documents, the Board is divided into three classes, with the total number of directors to be not less than five and not more than nine. Each director is to serve a term of three years or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified. As of the date hereof, the Board consists of seven members: three Class I directors (Messrs. Dove, Perlis and Shimer), two Class II directors (Messrs. Hexner and Silber) and two Class III directors (Messrs. Ryan and DeMoss). The following table sets forth the names, ages and positions with us of our current directors and executive officers. With the exception of Ross Dove and Kirk Dove, who are brothers, there are no family relationships between any present executive officers and directors.

 

Name

 

Age (1)

 

Title

Allan C. Silber

 

69

 

Chairman of the Board

Michael Hexner

 

64

 

Director (2), (3)

Samuel L. Shimer

 

54

 

Director (2), (3), (4)

J. Brendan Ryan

 

75

 

Director (2), (4)

Morris Perlis

Emmett DeMoss

 

69

81

 

Director (2), (4)

Director (2), (3)

Ross Dove

 

65

 

Director, Chief Executive Officer

Kirk Dove

 

62

 

Chief Operating Officer and President

Scott A. West

 

48

 

Chief Financial Officer

James Sklar

 

52

 

Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary

Kenneth Mann

 

50

 

Senior Managing Director, Equity Partners HG LLC

David Ludwig

 

60

 

President, National Loan Exchange

 

 

(1)

As of December 31, 2017

 

(2)

Independent Director

 

(3)

Member of the Audit Committee

 

(4)

Member of the Compensation Committee

Set forth below are descriptions of the backgrounds of our executive officers and directors:

Allan C. Silber , Chairman of the Board.  Mr. Silber was elected to the Board as a Class II director in September 2001. He was appointed as Chairman of the Board in November 2001, a position he held until October 2004, and was again appointed as Chairman of the Board in March 2005. In January 2011, Mr. Silber resigned the position of Chief Executive Officer and assumed the position of President. In May 2015 in connection with the appointment of Ross Dove as Chief Executive Officer and Kirk Dove as Chief Operating Officer and President, Mr. Silber resigned the position of President.  Mr. Silber is the Chairman of Street Capital, which he founded in 1979.  Mr. Silber sits on a number of public, private and not for profit Boards. Mr. Silber attended McMaster University and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto.

Michael Hexner , Director.  Mr. Hexner was appointed by the Board as a Class II director in August 2016 to fill a Board vacancy. Mr. Hexner has expertise and extensive experience in executive leadership with growing businesses.  Mr. Hexner co-founded Wheel Works in 1976, and grew the business, as its Chief Executive Officer, to become the largest independent tire chain in the United States.  Mr. Hexner was the co-founder of Pacific Leadership Group in 2001, and has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of both SmartPillars and DealerFusion.  Mr. Hexner currently serves as an operating partner of Fundamental Capital, a private equity firm, and as the Chairman of Zoomvy.com.  Mr. Hexner received a Bachelor of Arts in political philosophy from Williams College, a master’s degree in negotiation and dispute resolution from Creighton University, and has completed an executive management program at the Haas School of Business of the University of California.

Samuel L. Shimer , Director.  Mr. Shimer was appointed by the Board as a Class I director in April 2001. Mr. Shimer has extensive expertise in mergers and acquisitions, including those transactions that occurred while he was an officer of our company and Street Capital, where he was initially employed as a Senior Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions and Business Development in July 1997. He was appointed Managing Director in February 2000 and he terminated his employment with the Company in February 2004 to join J. H. Whitney & Co., a private equity fund management company, where he remained a Partner until December 2009. Mr. Shimer is currently Managing Director of SLC Capital Partners, LLC, a private equity fund management company that he co-founded in 2010. From 1991 to 1997, Mr. Shimer worked at two merchant banking funds affiliated with Lazard Frères & Co., Center Partners and Corporate Partners, ultimately serving as a Principal. Mr. Shimer earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

 

21


J. Brendan Ryan , Director.  Mr. Ryan was appointed by the Board as a Class III director in August 2011 to fill a Board vacancy. Mr. Ryan has had a distinguished career in the a dvertising industry, most recently serving as the global CEO of Foote Cone & Belding Worldwide (now FCB), and as the Chairman and Chairman Emeritus from June 2005 to December 2010. He has served on the boards of several public companies and currently serve s as a board member of several non-profit corporations. Mr. Ryan has extensive experience at the Board level with respect to the workings of public companies as well as an extensive network of contacts that could be of benefit to us. Mr. Ryan received his Bachelor of Arts in history from Fordham College and his Master of Business Administration in marketing from the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Morris Perlis , Director.  Mr. Perlis was appointed by the Board as a Class I director in May 2015.  Mr. Perlis previously served as President of Street Capital from 1992 until 2001, a period of tremendous success that included guiding our health care strategy, resulting in superior growth of three investee companies.  In addition to his past experience at Street Capital, Mr. Perlis bring a wealth of expertise gained in senior strategic and management roles with other leading organizations.  He spent 13 years with American Express Inc., including five years as President of American Express Canada.  During that time he obtained approval for, and directed the launch of, the AMEX Bank of Canada, for which he served as CEO.  Among his other responsibilities with American Express, Mr. Perlis served as Executive Vice President, and was a key member of numerous senior level U.S. executive committees.  Mr. Perlis also spent four years as President and CEO of Mad Catz Interactive, during which time he completely re-engineered the company, leading it to become the largest third party manufacturer in its industry.  Mr. Perlis is currently the President and CEO of Morris Perlis and Associates, and is active on a number of public, private and not for profit boards.

Emmett DeMoss , Director.  Mr. DeMoss was appointed by the Board as a Class III director in August 2017.  He worked in the business sector as a Corporate Finance Officer for Dean Witter and for Hambrecht & Quist, where he managed the initial public offerings (“IPO”) of several companies. He later served as Chief Operating Officer of Grubb & Ellis (“G&E”), a commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm, where he helped grow the business to $350 million in annual revenues and led the reverse IPO of our company. Mr. DeMoss has extensive executive leadership experience with growing businesses and was the founder, director and senior officer of Rackwise and Real Bid, the first on-line Company to offer indicative bidding for commercial real estate, which eventually merged with CoStar (Nasdaq: CSGP). He also held positions as a director and senior officer of Docutel. Mr. DeMoss received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University and a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Stanford University.

Ross Dove , Chief Executive Officer and Director.  Mr. Dove was appointed by the Board as a Class I director in May 2015. Mr. Ross Dove was appointed our Chief Executive Officer in May 2015 and has served as Co-Managing Partner of Heritage Global Partners, Inc. since its founding in October 2009.  Together with his brother, Kirk Dove, Mr. Ross Dove joined our company when HGI acquired HGP in February 2012. Mr. Dove began his career in the auction business over thirty years ago, beginning with a small family-owned auction house and helping to expand it into a global firm, DoveBid, which was sold to a third party in 2008. The Messrs. Dove remained as global presidents of the business until September 2009, and then formed HGP in October 2009. During his career, Mr. Dove has been actively involved with advances in the auction industry such as theatre-style auctions, which was a first step in migrating auction events onto the Internet. Mr. Dove has been a member of the National Auctioneers Associations since 1985, and a founding member of the Industrial Auctioneers Association. He served as a director of Critical Path from January 2002 to January 2005 and has served on the boards of several venture funded companies.

Kirk Dove , Chief Operating Officer and President.  Mr. Kirk Dove was appointed our Chief Operating Officer and President in May 2015 and has served as Co-Managing Partner of Heritage Global Partners, Inc. since its founding in October 2009.  Together with his brother, Ross Dove, Mr. Kirk Dove joined our company when HGI acquired HGP in February 2012. Mr. Dove began his career in the auction business over thirty years ago, including, along with his brother, the position of global president of DoveBid, which was sold to a third party in 2008. The Messrs. Dove remained as global presidents of the business until September 2009, and then formed HGP in October 2009. In addition to his experience with the auction business, Mr. Dove was employed at Merrill Lynch for several years as a Senior Account Executive. Mr. Dove received a Bachelor of Science in business from Northern Illinois University. He is a Senior ASA Member of the American Society of Appraisers, and has been a member of the National Auctioneers Associations since 1985.

Scott A. West , Chief Financial Officer.  Mr. West became the Chief Financial Officer of HGP in March 2014 and was appointed the Chief Financial Officer of HGI in May 2015.  Mr. West has over 25 years of multi-national executive financial accounting and business management experience serving various public and private equity funded companies, including a Fortune 500 company. He has expertise managing financial, technical, M&A and international accounting teams and has deep knowledge of SEC financial reporting, SOX compliance and international accounting matters.  Mr. West is responsible for all of the Company’s financial and treasury functions including financial reporting, bank relationships, conducting internal and industry analysis to support the Company’s goals for growth, investor relations, and M&A activity.  Mr. West received a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Arizona State University.

 

22


James Sklar, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.  Mr. Sklar became the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of HGP in June 2013 and was appointed the Executive Vice Presi dent, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of HGI in May 2015.  Mr. Sklar has over two decades of relevant legal expertise serving leading worldwide asset advisory and auction services firms.  Throughout his career, he has played a key role in establish ing relationships with global alliance partners and implementing international contracts as well as expanding the adoption of the auction sale process in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.  Mr. Sklar is responsible for all of the Company’s lega l matters including negotiating global transactional business alliance documents, managing relationships and contracts with worldwide clients and business partners, and providing legal representation for all of the Heritage Global companies.  Mr. Sklar rec eived a Bachelor of Science in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School.

Kenneth Mann , Senior Managing Director, Equity Partners HG LLC.  Mr. Mann has been employed by us since March 2011, when he joined our company in connection with our acquisition of Equity Partners. Prior to the acquisition, Mr. Mann was a Partner at Equity Partners since 1995, and a Managing Partner since September 2002. During his career, Mr. Mann has had extensive experience handling investment banking services for distressed businesses operating in a wide variety of industries. Mr. Mann received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Salisbury University. He began sponsoring events with the American Bankruptcy Institute in 1995, became a member in March 2003, and has served on its Asset Sales Committee since 2003.

David Ludwig , President, National Loan Exchange Inc. (“NLEX”).  Mr. Ludwig joined our company when HGI acquired NLEX in June 2014. Mr. Ludwig has worked in the financial industry for over twenty-five years, and he developed NLEX from its start as a post-Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) sales outlet to the nation’s leading broker of charged-off credit card and consumer debt accounts. He is considered a leading pioneer in the debt sales industry, and has been a featured speaker at many industry conferences, as well as quoted in numerous publications including the New York Times, LA Times, Collections and Credit Risk, and Collector Magazine. Mr. Ludwig also serves as consultant and expert witness within the industry.  Mr. Ludwig received a Bachelor of Science in economics from the University of Illinois .

Each of our officers has been appointed by the Board and holds his office at the discretion of the Board.

No director or officer of our company has, during the last ten years: (i) been subject to or involved in any legal proceedings described under Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K, including, without limitation, any criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors), (ii) been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities, or (iii) been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, United States federal or state securities or commodities laws and regulations, or finding any violations with respect to such laws and regulations.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our officers and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of our equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership of equity securities of HGI with the SEC. Officers, directors, and greater than ten percent stockholders are required by the SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms that they file.

Based solely upon a review of Forms 3 and Forms 4 furnished to us pursuant to Rule 16a-3 under the Exchange Act during our most recent fiscal year, and Forms 5 with respect to our most recent fiscal year, we believe that all such forms required to be filed pursuant to Section 16(a) were timely filed by the executive officers, directors and security holders required to file same during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

Code of Ethics

HGI has adopted a code of ethics that applies to our employees, including its principal executive, financial and accounting officers or persons performing similar functions. The HGI Code of Conduct (the “Code”) can be found on our website at http://www.heritageglobalinc.com (follow Corporate Governance link to Governance Documents tab). We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding any amendments to, or waivers from, a provision of the Code that applies to our principal executive, financial and accounting officers or persons performing similar functions by posting such information on its website at the website address set forth above. The information provided on our website is not part of this report, and is therefore not incorporated by reference unless such information is specifically referenced elsewhere in this report.

 

23


Corporate Governance

Board Leadership and Risk Oversight

We are a small organization, with a market capitalization at December 31, 2017 of approximately $10.5 million. From 2001 until the first quarter of 2014, Street Capital was our majority stockholder. In the first quarter of 2014 Street Capital declared a dividend in kind, consisting of its 73.3% interest in our company, which was paid to Street Capital stockholders in April 2014. Our association with Street Capital continued into 2015, and Street Capital remained a related party, due to a management services agreement (the “Services Agreement”) between us and Street Capital. The Services Agreement is described in more detail in Item 13 of this Report and in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements.  The Services Agreement was terminated effective August 31, 2015, as described more fully in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 1, 2015.  After the termination of the Services Agreement, Street Capital remained a related party as a result of the Street Capital Loan and our Chairman of the Board, Mr. Allan Silber, also holding a similar position for Street Capital.  

Our operations, even following the acquisitions of HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, remain relatively modest, with only 48 employees, as detailed in Item 1 of this report. Given the current size and scale of our operations, we believe that the Board does not require a lead independent director in order to effectively oversee our strategic priorities. The Board meets quarterly to review our operating results. It meets annually to review and approve our strategy and budget. Material matters such as acquisitions and dispositions, investments and business initiatives are approved by the full Board.

Board Meetings and Committees

The Board held four meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. The Board has designated two standing committees: the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee. HGI does not have a nominating or a corporate governance committee. However, corporate governance functions are included in the Audit Committee Charter, and Board nominations are considered by the full Board. There are no specific criteria for Director nominees, and we do not specifically consider diversity with respect to the selection of our Board nominees. Given our limited operations, we believe that we would have difficulty identifying and attracting a diverse selection of candidates. To date, it has been deemed most effective to nominate and appoint individuals who are either former employees with detailed knowledge of the business, such as Mr. Shimer, or individuals with expertise that will be of value as we expand our market presence, such as Mr. Hexner, Mr. DeMoss, Mr. Ryan and Mr. Perlis. There has been no material change in the procedures by which our stockholders may recommend nominees to our Board since such procedures were adopted and implemented.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the Board concerning the selection and engagement of independent accountants and for reviewing the scope of the annual audit, audit fees, results of the audit and independent registered public accounting firm’s independence. The Audit Committee is also responsible for corporate governance, and reviews and discusses with management and the Board such matters as accounting policies, internal accounting controls and procedures for preparation of financial statements. Its membership is currently comprised of Mr. Shimer (Chairman), Mr. DeMoss, and Mr. Hexner, all three of whom are independent directors. The Audit Committee held four meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. In 2000, the Board approved HGI’s Audit Committee Charter, which was subsequently revised and amended in 2001 and again in 2003 in order to incorporate certain updates in light of regulatory developments, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. A copy of the current Audit Committee Charter is available on our website www.heritageglobalinc.com .

Audit Committee Financial Expert

The Board has determined that Mr. Samuel L. Shimer is an Audit Committee financial expert as defined by Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K and is “independent” as such term is defined under Nasdaq Marketplace Rules and applicable federal securities laws and regulations.

 

 

 

24


Item 11. Executi ve Compen sation.

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Summary

The following sections provide an explanation and analysis of our executive compensation program and the material elements of total compensation paid to each of our named executive officers. Included in the discussion is an overview and description of:

 

our compensation philosophy and program;

 

the objectives of our compensation program;

 

what our compensation program is designed to reward;

 

each element of compensation;

 

why we choose to pay each element;

 

how we determine the amount for each element; and

 

how each compensation element and our decision regarding that element fit into our overall compensation objectives and affect decisions regarding other elements, including the relationship between our compensation objectives and our overall risk management.

In reviewing our executive compensation program, we considered issues pertaining to policies and practices for allocating between long-term and currently paid compensation and those policies for allocating between cash and non-cash compensation. We also considered the determinations for granting awards, performance factors for our company and our named executive officers, and how specific elements of compensation are structured and taken into account in making compensation decisions. Questions related to the benchmarking of total compensation or any material element of compensation, the tax and accounting treatment of particular forms of compensation and the role of executive officers (if any) in the total compensation process also are addressed where appropriate. In addition to the named executive officers discussed below, we have only 48 salaried employees.

General Executive Compensation Philosophy

We compensate our executive management through a combination of base salaries, merit-based performance bonuses, and long-term equity compensation. We adhere to the following compensation policies, which are designed to support the achievement of our business strategies:

 

Our executive compensation program should strengthen the relationship between compensation, both cash and equity-based, and performance by emphasizing variable, at-risk earnings that are dependent upon the successful achievement of specified corporate, business unit and individual performance goals.

 

A portion of each executive’s total compensation should be comprised of long-term, at-risk compensation to focus management on the long-term interests of stockholders.

 

An appropriately balanced mix of at-risk incentive cash and equity-based compensation aligns the interests of our executives with that of our stockholders. The equity-based component promotes a continuing focus on building profitability and shareowner value.

 

Total compensation should enhance our ability to attract, retain, motivate and develop knowledgeable and experienced executives upon whom, in large part, our successful operation and management depends.

 

Total compensation should encourage our executives to ensure that the risks involved in any business decision align that executive’s potential personal return with maximal return to stockholders.

A core principle of our executive compensation program is the belief that compensation paid to executive officers should be closely aligned with our near- and long-term success, while simultaneously giving us the flexibility to recruit and retain the most qualified key executives. Our compensation program is structured so that it is related to our stock performance and other factors, direct and indirect, all of which may influence long-term stockholder value and our success.

We utilize each element of executive compensation to ensure proper balance between our short- and long-term success as well as between our financial performance and stockholder return. In this regard, we believe that the executive compensation program for our named executive officers is consistent with our financial performance and the performance of each named executive officer. We do not utilize the services of compensation consultants in determining or recommending executive or director compensation.

 

25


Our Named Executive Officers

This analysis focuses on the compensation paid to our “named executive officers,” a defined term generally encompassing:

 

all persons that served as our principal executive officer (“PEO”) at any time during the fiscal year; and

 

our two most highly compensated executive officers, other than the PEO, serving in such positions at the end of the fiscal year.

During 2017, our named executive officers were:

Ross Dove – Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Dove (and his brother, Kirk Dove) co-founded HGP, which we acquired in 2012.  Effective May 5, 2015, Mr. Dove became our Chief Executive Officer, as more fully described in our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 7, 2015.

Kenneth Mann – Senior Managing Director, Equity Partners. Mr. Mann has held this position prior to and since our acquisition of Equity Partners in 2011.

David Ludwig – President, National Loan Exchange. Mr. Ludwig has held this position prior to and since our acquisition of National Loan Exchange in 2014.

Elements of Compensation

Base Salaries

Unless specified otherwise in their employment agreements, the base salaries of our named executive officers are evaluated annually. In evaluating appropriate pay levels and salary increases for such officers, the Compensation Committee uses a subjective analysis, considering achievement of our strategic goals, level of responsibility, individual performance, and internal equity and external pay practices. In addition, the Committee considers the scope of the executives’ responsibilities, taking into account competitive market compensation for similar positions where available, as well as seniority of the individual, our ability to replace the individual and other primarily judgmental factors deemed relevant by our Board and Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee does not use any specific benchmark in the determination of base salaries.

Base salaries are reviewed annually by our Compensation Committee and our Board, and adjusted from time to time pursuant to such review or at other appropriate times, in order to align salaries with market levels after taking into account individual responsibilities, performance and experience.

During 2017 and 2016 all of our named executive officers were paid employees.

Mr. Mann earns a base salary of $375,000 and is eligible for a performance bonus as described below.

Mr. Dove earns a base salary of $350,000 and is eligible for a performance bonus as described below.  Further, Mr. Dove will participate in a share of our net profits and net losses earned on certain industrial auction principal and guarantee transactions.  For further information on the profit share refer to Item 13 below and to Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements.

Mr. Ludwig earns a base salary of $400,000 and is subject to the earn-out consideration from the acquisitions of NLEX in 2014, as further described in Notes 2 and 10 to the consolidated financial statements.  

Bonuses

Bonus awards are designed to focus management attention on key operational goals for the current fiscal year. Our executives may earn a bonus based upon achievement of their specific operational goals and achievement by us or our business unit of financial targets. Cash bonus awards are distributed based upon the Company and the individual meeting performance criteria objectives. The final determination for all bonus payments is made by our Compensation Committee based on a subjective analysis of the foregoing elements.

We set bonuses based on a subjective analysis of certain performance measures in order to maximize and align the interests of our officers with those of our stockholders. Although performance goals are generally standard for determining bonus awards, we have and will consider additional performance rating goals when evaluating the bonus compensation structure of our executive

 

26


management. In addition, in instances where the employee has responsibility over a specific area, performance goals may be directly tied to the overall performance of that particular area.

For 2017, Mr. Mann was eligible for a performance bonus calculated as follows:  The Equity Partners team is entitled to receive 50% of the net operating income achieved by Equity Partners (“HEP NOI”) above $175,000. We will retain the first $175,000 of HEP NOI and 50% of HEP NOI thereafter. In addition, we will make available annually a bonus in the amount of $25,000 to be allocated to a member or members of the Equity Partners team. The allocation among the Equity Partners team to be determined by Mr. Mann and our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ross Dove. In 2017 Mr. Mann earned a bonus of $218,895, and in 2016 he earned a bonus of $50,000.  

For 2017, Mr. Dove was eligible to receive a performance bonus calculated as follows:  after we achieve consolidated net operating income of $1,733,000, and the Heritage Global Partners auction division achieves net operating income of $352,000, Mr. Dove may share in a bonus pool of $100,000 (to be shared also with other of our officers, collectively the “Management Group”), which will be allocated at management’s discretion.  After this, the Management Group receives 10% of the first $500,000 of net operating income above $1,733,000 (net operating income from $1,733,000 – $2,233,000), and then 20% of the net operating income in excess of $2,233,000.  

As Mr. Dove’s and Mr. Mann’s bonuses are closely tied to our performance, they do not encourage inappropriate risk-taking on their part.

For 2017, Mr. Ludwig was not eligible to receive a performance bonus; however, he was subject to the earn-out consideration from the acquisitions of NLEX in 2014, as further described in Notes 2 and 10 to the consolidated financial statements.

Equity Incentive Grants

In keeping with our philosophy of providing a total compensation package that favors at-risk components of pay, long-term incentives can comprise a significant component of our executives’ total compensation package. These incentives are designed to motivate and reward executives for maximizing shareowner value and encourage the long-term employment of key employees. Our objective is to provide executives with above-average, long-term incentive award opportunities.

We view stock options as our primary long-term compensation vehicle for our executive officers. Stock options generally are granted at slightly above the prevailing market price on the date of grant and will have value only if our stock price increases. Grants of stock options generally are based upon our performance, the level of the executive’s position, and an evaluation of the executive’s past and expected future performance. We do not time or plan the release of material, non-public information for the purpose of affecting the value of executive compensation.

We believe that stock options will continue to be used as the predominant form of stock-based compensation. In 2016, our named executives participated in a Company-wide stock option grant.  As part of the grant the named executives received options to purchase an aggregate 825,000 shares of our common stock at a strike price of $0.45 per share.  No options were granted to any of our named executive officers during 2017.

Other Benefits

The only additional benefits provided to the named executive officers during 2017 and 2016 were the payment of an automobile allowance of $14,029 to Mr. Ross Dove and the payment of club membership dues for Mr. Ludwig ($8,000 in 2017 and $10,000 in 2016).  There were no pension or change in control benefits in either 2017 or 2016.

Upon termination of employment by us without cause, Mr. Dove and Mr. Mann are each entitled to 12 months base salary and a pro rata share of the bonus payable in the fiscal year of termination. Any bonus payable is based on the termination date (provided that, as of the termination date, the performance criteria established with respect to the bonus for the fiscal year have been met), subject to certain conditions.

Upon termination of employment by us without cause, Mr. Ludwig is entitled to receipt of his base salary, payable in equal monthly installments, that would have been received, through the earlier of (a) the last day of his original employment period, or (b) the date on which we satisfy in full our obligation to pay Mr. Ludwig any earn-out obligations.

 

27


Tax Considerations

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code places limits on the deductibility of compensation in excess of $1.0 million paid to executive officers of publicly held companies. The Compensation Committee does not believe that Section 162(m) has had or will have any impact on the compensation policies followed by us.

Executive Compensation Process

Compensation Committee

Our Compensation Committee oversees and approves all compensation and awards made to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer/President, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel. The Compensation Committee reviews the performance and compensation of the executive officers, without their participation, and establishes their compensation accordingly, with consultation from others when appropriate.

Executive and Director Compensation – Tabular Disclosure

Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation for services rendered during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 by our named executive officers.

 

Name and

Principal

Position

 

Year

 

Salary

($)

 

 

Bonus

($)

 

 

Option

Awards

($) 3

 

 

All Other Compensation

($)

 

 

Total

($)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ross Dove

 

2017

 

 

350,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3)

 

14,029

 

(1)

 

364,029

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

2016

 

 

350,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

101,433

 

 

 

14,029

 

(1)

 

465,462

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kenneth Mann

 

2017

 

 

375,000

 

 

 

218,895

 

 

 

 

(3)

 

 

 

 

593,895

 

Senior Managing Director, Equity Partners

 

2016

 

 

375,000

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

93,630

 

 

 

 

 

 

518,630

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Ludwig

 

2017

 

 

400,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3)

 

903,752

 

(2)

 

1,303,752

 

President, National Loan Exchange

 

2016

 

 

400,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

62,420

 

 

 

826,733

 

(2)

 

1,289,153

 

 

(1)

This amount represents an automobile allowance.

(2)

This amount includes the contingent consideration payment to David Ludwig in connection with the acquisition of NLEX in 2014, and membership dues.  Membership dues paid on behalf of Mr. Ludwig were $7,852 and $10,218 for 2017 and 2016, respectively.  

(3)

See “Grants of Plan-Based Awards,” below, for details regarding the assumptions made in the valuation of these option awards.

Grants of Plan-Based Awards

In 2016, we granted stock option awards to our executive officers as part of an employee wide option award grant.  All option awards were granted with a strike price of $0.45 per share.  The table below details the option awards granted to our executive officers in 2016.  No grants were made to our named executive officers noted above during 2017.

 

Name

 

Title

Plan of Grant

Number of Securities Underlying Option Grant

 

Option Exercise Price ($/sh)

 

Option Expiration Date

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ross Dove

(1)

Chief Executive Officer, Director

2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan

 

325,000

 

$

0.45

 

December 9, 2026

Kenneth Mann

(1)

Senior Managing Director, Equity Partners

2016 Stock Option Plan

 

300,000

 

$

0.45

 

December 9, 2026

David Ludwig

(1)

President, NLEX

2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan

 

200,000

 

$

0.45

 

December 9, 2026

 

28


 

(1)

The options vest 25% annually beginning on the first anniversary of the December 9, 2016 grant date.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

The following table sets forth the detail of outstanding equity awards at December 31, 2017.

 

Name

 

Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options:  Exercisable

 

 

 

Number of

Securities Underlying

Unexercised Options:

Unexercisable

 

 

 

Option

Exercise

Price($/Sh)

 

 

Option Expiration Date

Kenneth Mann

 

 

200,000

 

(2)

 

 

 

 

 

$

1.83

 

 

June 23, 2018

Kenneth Mann

 

 

150,000

 

(3)

 

 

 

(3)

 

$

1.00

 

 

March 11, 2020

Kenneth Mann

 

 

75,000

 

(4)

 

 

225,000

 

(4)

 

$

0.45

 

 

December 9, 2026

David Ludwig

 

 

50,000

 

(4)

 

 

150,000

 

(4)

 

$

0.45

 

 

December 9, 2026

Ross Dove

 

 

312,500

 

(1)

 

 

 

(1)

 

$

2.00

 

 

February 28, 2019

Ross Dove

 

 

81,250

 

(4)

 

 

243,750

 

(4)

 

$

0.45

 

 

December 9, 2026

 

(1)

These options are fully vested.

(2)

These options were part of the consideration paid to acquire Equity Partners on June 23, 2011 and vested immediately.

(3)

The options vest 25% annually beginning on the first anniversary of the March 11, 2013 grant date.

(4)

The options vest 25% annually beginning on the first anniversary of the December 9, 2016 grant date.

In 2016, we adopted the Heritage Global Inc. 2016 Stock Option Plan.  Refer to Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of our stock-based compensation.  There were no other adjustments or changes in the terms of any of our equity awards in 2017 or 2016.

Compensation of Directors

The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation for services rendered during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 by each person serving as a director.

 

Name

 

Fees Earned or Paid in Cash

($)

 

 

Option Awards

($) (1)

 

 

Total

($)

 

Allan C. Silber

 

 

101,000

 

 

 

3,822

 

 

 

104,822

 

Samuel L. Shimer

 

 

38,000

 

 

 

3,822

 

 

 

41,822

 

Morris Perlis

 

 

35,000

 

 

 

3,822

 

 

 

38,822

 

J. Brendan Ryan

 

 

26,250

 

 

 

3,822

 

 

 

30,072

 

Michael Hexner

 

 

30,750

 

 

 

3,822

 

 

 

34,572

 

Emmett DeMoss

 

 

14,250

 

 

 

 

 

 

14,250

 

Ross Dove

(2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

The value included in this column represents the grant date fair value of the option award computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. The number of shares underlying stock options granted during 2017 for each of the directors listed in the table was as follows:  Mr. Silber – 10,000; Mr. Perlis – 10,000; Mr. Ryan — 10,000; Mr. Shimer — 10,000; Mr. Hexner – 10,000.

(2)

Mr. Dove was not compensated as a director during 2017 due to the compensation he received for his employment as one of our officers.  

Each director who is not an employee receives a $20,000 per year cash retainer, $1,000 per meeting attended in person or by telephone, and an annual grant of stock options to purchase 10,000 shares of common stock, which is awarded in March of each year. In addition, the Chairman of the Board receives a cash retainer of $75,000 per year, the Chairman of the Audit Committee receives a cash retainer of $10,000 per year, Audit Committee members who are not the chair receive a cash retainer of $5,000 per year, and other committee chairpersons receive an annual cash retainer of $2,000 per year. The directors are also eligible to receive options under our stock option plans at the discretion of the Board.

 

29


Stock Option Plans

At December 31, 2017, we had four stock-based employee compensation plans, which are described in Note 15 of the consolidated financial statements included in Item 15 of this Report.

 

 

30


Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Ow ners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.

The following table sets forth information regarding the ownership of our common stock as of March 2, 2018, except as otherwise footnoted, by: (i) each director; (ii) each of the Named Executive Officers in the Summary Compensation Table; (iii) all of our executive officers and directors as a group; and (iv) all those known by us to be beneficial owners of more than five percent of our common stock. As of March 2, 2018, there are 28,480,148 shares of common stock and 569 shares of Class N Preferred stock issued and outstanding. Each share of Class N Preferred Stock is entitled to 40 votes.

 

Name and Address of

Beneficial Owner (1)

 

Number of Shares

Beneficially Owned

(2)

 

 

 

Percentage

of Common Stock

Beneficially Owned

 

Allan C. Silber

 

 

4,672,395

 

(3)

 

 

15.4

%

Ross Dove

 

 

2,527,850

 

(4)

 

 

8.3

%

Kirk Dove

 

 

2,054,450

 

(4)

 

 

6.8

%

Zachary Capital L.P.

 

 

1,613,454

 

(5)

 

 

5.3

%

Morris Perlis

 

 

611,389

 

(6)

 

 

2.0

%

Kenneth Mann

 

 

556,967

 

(7)

 

 

1.8

%

David Ludwig

 

 

342,500

 

(8)

 

 

1.1

%

Samuel L. Shimer

 

 

164,639

 

(9)

 

*%

 

J. Brendan Ryan

 

 

141,250

 

(10)

 

*%

 

Michael Hexner

 

 

6,250

 

(11)

 

*%

 

Emmett DeMoss

 

 

500

 

(12)

 

*%

 

All Executive Officers and Directors as a

   Group (12 people)

 

 

11,620,590

 

 

 

 

38.2

%

 

*

Indicates less than one percent.

(1)

Unless otherwise noted, all listed shares of common stock are owned of record by each person or entity named as beneficial owner and that person or entity has sole voting and dispositive power with respect to the shares of common stock owned by each of them. All addresses are c/o Heritage Global Inc. unless otherwise indicated.

(2)

As to each person or entity named as beneficial owners, that person’s or entity’s percentage of ownership is determined based on the assumption that any options or convertible securities held by such person or entity which are exercisable or convertible within 60 days have been exercised or converted, as the case may be.

(3)

Includes 258,750 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options.

(4)

Includes 393,750 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options, and 1,155,000 shares of common stock held of record by a trust that is jointly controlled by the Messrs. Ross and Kirk Dove.

(5)

Unrelated third party with beneficial ownership greater than 5.0%, based solely upon a Schedule 13G filed on July 21, 2015 with the SEC.  Zachary Capital L.P.’s address is 12 Castle Street, Helier, Jersey, JE2 3RT.  

(6)

Includes 258,750 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options.

(7)

Includes 425,000 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options. Mr. Mann’s address is c/o Equity Partners HG LLC, 16 N. Washington St, Easton, MD 21601.

(8)

Includes 50,000 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options. Mr. Ludwig’s address is c/o National Loan Exchange Inc., 10 Sunset Hills Professional Center, Floor 1, Edwardsville, IL 62025.

(9)

Includes 51,250 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options.

(10)

Includes 41,250 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options.

(11)

Includes 6,250 shares of common stock issuable pursuant to options.

(12)

Represents shares of common stock.

We are not aware of any arrangements, including any pledge by any person of securities of the registrant or any of its parents, the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change of control of the registrant.

 

 

31


Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table sets forth, as of December 31, 2017, information with respect to equity compensation plans (including individual compensation arrangements) under which our securities are authorized for issuance.

 

Plan Category (1)

 

Number of Securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options

 

 

Weighted-average

exercise price of

outstanding options

 

 

Number of

securities

remaining available

for future issuance

under equity

compensation plans (excluding

securities reflected

in column (a))

 

 

 

(a)

 

 

(b)

 

 

(c)

 

Equity compensation plans approved

   by security holders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2003 Stock Option and Appreciation

   Rights Plan

 

 

985,000

 

 

$

1.80

 

 

 

 

Heritage Global Inc. 2016 Stock Option Plan

 

 

2,370,450

 

 

$

0.45

 

 

 

610,800

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity compensation plans not

   approved by security holders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan

 

 

830,000

 

 

$

0.46

 

 

 

420,000

 

Equity Partners Plan

 

 

230,000

 

 

$

1.83

 

 

 

Options issued upon acquisition of HGP

 

 

625,000

 

 

$

2.00

 

 

 

Total

 

 

5,040,450

 

 

$

0.97

 

 

 

1,030,800

 

 

 

(1)

For a description of the material terms of these plans, see Note 15 to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 15 of this Report.

 

 

 

32


Item 13. Certain Relationships and Relate d Transac tions, and Director Independence.

Transactions with Management and Others

See Item 7 hereof for discussion of our changes in the ownership and control by Street Capital, its former majority owner and parent. See Item 11 hereof for descriptions of the terms of employment, consulting and other agreements between us and certain officers and directors.

Transactions with Street Capital

Allan Silber, the Chairman of our Board, is also the Chairman of Street Capital.

 

Loan Agreement

The Street Capital Loan was originally entered into in 2003 and accrued interest at 10% per annum compounded quarterly from the date funds were advanced (the “Street Capital Loan”). The Street Capital Loan was secured by our assets.

In 2014, following Street Capital’s distribution of its ownership interest in our company to Street Capital stockholders as a dividend in kind, the unpaid balance of the Street Capital Loan began accruing interest at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of the Wall St. Journal (“WSJ”) prime rate + 2.0%, or the maximum rate allowable by law. As of December 31, 2015, the interest rate on the loan was 5.50%. In the third quarter of 2016, following an amendment to the loan agreement, the Street Capital Loan began accruing interest at a rate per annum equal to the WSJ prime rate + 1.0%.  We also agreed to a payment schedule to begin in the third quarter of 2016, and Street Capital removed the security from our assets.  As of December 31, 2017, the interest rate on the loan was 5.50%.  See Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements for further discussion of transactions with Street Capital .

During 2017, the largest amount outstanding under the Street Capital Loan was $1.0 million, which occurred during the first quarter of 2017.  During 2017, we made payments on the loan of $0.6 million.  As of March 2, 2018, the outstanding balance of the loan was $0.4 million.  

Transactions with Other Related Parties

Through April 2016, as part of the operations of HGP we leased office space in Foster City, CA that is owned by an entity jointly controlled by Ross Dove and Kirk Dove, our Chief Executive Officer and President and Chief Operating Officer, respectively (“Ross and Kirk”).  We terminated the lease agreement in the second quarter of 2016.  The total amount paid for the lease was $76,000 in 2016, and as a result, the total amount paid to each of Ross Dove and Kirk Dove, individually, was $38,000 in 2016.    

As part of the operations of NLEX, we lease office space in Edwardsville, IL that is owned by the President of NLEX, David Ludwig. The total amount paid for the lease in both 2017 and 2016 was $0.1 million, which was paid in its entirety directly to David Ludwig.

In the fourth quarter of 2016, we entered into a related party secured promissory note with an entity owned by certain executive officers of our company (the “Entity”) for a revolving line of credit (the “Line of Credit”).  Under the terms of the Line of Credit, we received a revolving line of credit with an aggregate borrowing capacity of $1.5 million.  Interest under the Line of Credit is charged at a variable rate.  Aggregate loans under the Line of Credit up to $1.0 million incur interest at a variable rate per annum based on the rate charged to the Entity by its bank, plus 2.0%.  Amounts outstanding at any time in excess of $1.0 million incur interest at a rate of 8.0% per annum.  We are required to pay the Entity an annual commitment fee of $15,000, payable on a monthly basis, and due regardless of amounts drawn against the line.  Further, the Entity is eligible to participate in the net profits and net losses of certain industrial auction principal and guarantee transactions entered into by us on or after January 1, 2017, and consummated on or prior to the maturity date. Principal transactions are those in which we purchase assets for resale. Guarantee transactions are those in which we guarantee our client a minimum amount of proceeds from the auction.   The Line of Credit matures at the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the Agreement, (ii) the termination of the Entity’s line of credit with its bank, or (iii) forty-five (45) days following the date we close a new credit facility with a financial institution . Ross Dove and Kirk Dove each have an equal 50% share in the payments made to the Entity. For additional information on the Line of Credit refer to the Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 27, 2016.  On November 21, 2017, we utilized the Line of Credit by drawing $750,000, which was repaid in full on December 22, 2017 resulting in approximately $4,000 of interest expense. We also incurred approximately $34,000 in expense based on the profit share provision for principal and guarantee transactions, as noted above.

 

 

33


In connection with the acquisition of NLEX in 2014, we pay the former owner and current president of NLEX (“David Ludwig”) an earn-out provision, calculated as 50% of the Net Profits (as defined in the NLEX stock purchase agreement) of NLEX for each of the four years following the closing of the ac quisition.  The future payments expected to be made to David Ludwig under the earn-out provision are included within the consolidated balance sheet as contingent consideration.  During 2017, we made our third earn-out payment to David Ludwig, in the amount of $0.9 million.  

Director Independence

Our securities are quoted on the OTC market and the Canadian Securities Exchange. Our Board applies “independence” requirements and standards under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. Pursuant to the requirements, the Board annually undertakes a review of director independence. During this review, the Board considers transactions and relationships between each director or any member of his or her immediate family and HGI and its subsidiaries and affiliates. The purpose of this review is to determine whether any such relationships or transactions exist that are inconsistent with a determination that the director is independent. As a result of this review in 2017, the Board affirmatively determined that during 2017 Messrs. Hexner, Ryan, Shimer, Perlis and DeMoss were deemed “independent” as defined under the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules. The Board further determined that each of the foregoing directors met the independence and other requirements, including the Audit Committee membership independence requirements, needed to serve on the Board committees for which they serve.

 

 

Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

The Audit Committee has selected Squar Milner LLP (“Squar Milner”) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. Squar Milner has served as our independent registered public accounting firm since the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.  All fees paid to independent registered public accounting firms were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

The following is a summary of the fees paid or expected to be paid to Squar Milner for professional services rendered for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Audit fees

 

$

126

 

 

$

128

 

Audit-related fees, tax fees, and all other fees

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

$

126

 

 

$

128

 

 

 

34


Audit Fees

Audit fees are for professional services for the audit of our annual financial statements, the reviews of the financial statements included in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and services in connection with our statutory and regulatory filings.

Audit-Related Fees

Audit-related fees are for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the audit and reviews of our financial statements, exclusive of the fees disclosed as audit fees above.

Tax Fees

Tax fees are for services related to tax compliance, consulting and planning services and include preparation of tax returns, review of restrictions on net operating loss carry forwards and other general tax services. For 2017 and 2016, these services were provided by an independent accounting firm other than Squar Milner.

All Other Fees

We did not incur fees for any other services provided by our principal accountant during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

Audit and Non-Audit Service Pre-Approval Policy

In accordance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, the Audit Committee has adopted an informal approval policy to pre-approve services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm. All proposals for services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm, which must include a detailed description of the services to be rendered and the amount of corresponding fees, are submitted to the Chairman of the Audit Committee and the Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer authorizes services that have been pre-approved by the Audit Committee. If there is any question as to whether a proposed service fits within a pre-approved service, the Audit Committee chair is consulted for a determination. The Chief Financial Officer submits requests or applications to provide services that have not been pre-approved by the Audit Committee, which must include an affirmation by the Chief Financial Officer and the independent registered public accounting firm that the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence, to the Audit Committee (or its Chairman or any of its other members pursuant to delegated authority) for approval.  All fees related to audit services during 2017 were pre-approved by the Audit Committee.  

Audit Services. Audit services include the annual financial statement audit (including quarterly reviews) and other procedures required to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm to be able to form an opinion on our financial statements. The Audit Committee pre-approves specified annual audit services engagement terms and fees and other specified audit fees. All other audit services must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee monitors the audit services engagement and may approve, if necessary, any changes in terms, conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope or other items.  

Audit-Related Services. Audit-related services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements which historically have been provided to us by the independent registered public accounting firm and are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence. The Audit Committee pre-approves specified audit-related services within pre-approved fee levels. All other audit-related services must be pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

Tax Services. The Audit Committee pre-approves specified tax services that the Audit Committee believes would not impair the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm and that are consistent with SEC rules and guidance. All other tax services must be specifically approved by the Audit Committee.

All Other Services. Other services are services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm that do not fall within the established audit, audit-related and tax services categories. The Audit Committee pre-approves specified other services that do not fall within any of the specified prohibited categories of services.

 

 

 

35


PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

(a)

The following financial statements and those financial statement schedules required by Item 8 hereof are filed as part of this Report:

 

1.

Financial Statements:

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2017 and 2016

Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

 

2.

Financial Statement Schedules:

These schedules are omitted because they are not required, or are not applicable, or the required information is shown in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.

 

(b)

The following exhibits are filed as part of this Report:

 

Exhibit Number

 

Title of Exhibit

 

 

 

    3.1(i)

 

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. (1)

 

 

 

    3.2(ii)

 

Bylaws as amended. (2)

 

 

 

    3.2(iii)

 

Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. (8)

 

 

 

    3.2(iv)

 

Articles of Amendment to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. (16)

 

 

 

  10.1*

 

2003 Stock Option and Appreciation Rights Plan. (3)

 

 

 

  10.2*

 

2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan. (9)

 

 

 

  10.3*

 

Form of Option Grant for Options Granted Under 2003 Stock Option and Appreciation Rights Plan. (16)

 

 

 

  10.4

 

Sixth Amendment to Loan Agreement between C2 Global Technologies Inc. and Street Capital dated January 26, 2004, dated as of May 5, 2009. (7)

 

 

 

  10.5*

 

Form of Option Grant for Options Granted Under 2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan. (10)

 

 

 

  10.6

 

Stock option grant notice to Ross Dove effective February 29, 2012. (16)

 

 

 

  10.7

 

Stock option grant notice to Kirk Dove effective February 29, 2012. (16)

 

 

 

  10.8

 

Mutual Separation and Transition Agreement with Adam Reich, effective as of June 30, 2013. (13)

 

 

 

  10.9

 

Mutual Separation and Transition Agreement with Jonathan Reich, effective as of June 30, 2013. (13)

 

 

 

  10.10*

 

Management Services Agreement between Heritage Global Inc. and Street Capital, effective as of May 1, 2014. (14)

 

 

 

  10.11

 

Stock Purchase Agreement between Heritage Global Inc., National Loan Exchange, Inc., and David Ludwig, signed on June 2, 2014 and effective as of May 31, 2014. (15)

 

 

 

  10.12

 

Promissory Note by and between Heritage Global Inc. and Harvey Frisch, effective as of June 19, 2014. (16)

 

 

 

  10.13

 

Renewed Note to the Promissory Note by and between Heritage Global Inc. and Harvey Frisch dated June 19, 2014, effective as of December 31, 2014. (16)

 

 

 

  10.14

 

Second Renewed Note to the Promissory Note by and between Heritage Global Inc. and Harvey Frisch dated June 19, 2014, effective as of January 15, 2016. (16)

 

 

 

 

36


Exhibit Number

 

Title of Exhibit

  10.15

 

Employment Agreement between Kenneth Mann and Equity Partners CRB LLC effective as of March 10, 2011. (11)

 

 

 

  10.16

 

Employment Agreement between Ross Dove and Heritage Global Partners, Inc. effective as of February 29, 2012. (16)

 

 

 

  10.17

 

Employment Agreement between Kirk Dove and Heritage Global Partners, Inc. effective as of February 29, 2012. (16)

 

 

 

  10.18

 

Employment Agreement between James Sklar and Heritage Global Partners, Inc. effective as of June 23, 2013. (16)

 

 

 

  10.19

 

Employment Agreement between Scott A. West and Heritage Global Partners, Inc. effective as of March 6, 2014. (16)

 

 

 

  10.20

 

Employment Agreement between David Ludwig and National Loan Exchange, Inc. effective as of May 31, 2014. (16)

 

 

 

  10.21

 

Purchase and Sale Agreement between 737 Gerrard Road, LLC and International Auto Processing Inc., effective as of March 11, 2016. (16)

 

 

 

  10.22

 

Assignment of Purchase and Sale Agreement by International Auto Processing, Inc. to International Investments and Infrastructure, LLC, effective as of June 16, 2016. (17)

 

 

 

  10.23

 

Secured Promissory Note by and between Heritage Global Inc. and the Dove Holdings Corporations, effective as of December 23, 2016. (18)

 

 

 

  10.24

 

Loan Agreement between Heritage Global Partners, Inc. and the Zel Dove Trust UAD 10/31/2006, effective as of January 12, 2016. (19)

 

 

 

  10.25

 

Loan Agreement between Heritage Global Partners, Inc., the Dove Holdings Corporation, and Ross Dove, effective as of August 17, 2016. (19)

 

 

 

  10.26*

 

Form of Option Grant for Options Granted Under Heritage Global Inc. 2016 Stock Option Plan. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  10.27*

 

2016 Stock Option Plan. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  14

 

C2 Global Technologies Inc. Code of Conduct. (4)

 

 

 

  21

 

List of subsidiaries. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  23.1

 

Consent of Squar Milner LLP. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  31.1

 

Certification of the Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  31.2

 

Certification of the Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  32.1

 

Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

  32.2

 

Certification pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. (filed herewith)

 

 

 

101.INS

 

XBRL Instance Document

 

 

 

101.SCH

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema

 

 

 

101.CAL

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase

 

 

 

101.DEF

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase

 

 

 

101.LAB

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase

 

 

 

101.PRE

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

 

*

Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan required to be filed as an exhibit.

(1)

Incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended June 30, 1996, file number 0-17973.

 

37


(2)

Incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 1 0-Q for the period ended September 30, 1998, file number 0-17973.

(3)

Incorporated by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement for the November 26, 2003 annual stockholder meeting.

(4)

Incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003.

(5)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 6, 2005.

(6)

Incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2008.

(7)

Incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2009.

(8)

Incorporated by reference to our Definitive Schedule 14C Information Statement filed on December 23, 2010.

(9)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 24, 2011.

(10)

Incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

(11)

Incorporated by reference to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2011.

(12)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 6, 2012.

(13)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 31, 2013.

(14)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 1, 2014.

(15)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on June 6, 2014.

(16)

Incorporated by reference to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

(17)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 8, 2016.  

(18)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on December 27, 2016.  

(19)

Incorporated by reference to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 4, 2016.  

 

(c) Financial Statement Schedules

The following Schedules are included in our Financial Statements:

None.

 

Item 16. Form 10-K Summary

None.

 

 

38


SIGNA TURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

 

(Registrant)

 

 

 

Dated: March 13, 2018

By:

/s/ Ross Dove

 

Ross Dove, Chief Executive Officer

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Scott A. West

 

Scott A. West, Chief Financial Officer

 

(Principal Financial Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Ross Dove

 

Chief Executive Officer and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

March 13, 2018

Ross Dove

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael Hexner

 

Director

 

March 13, 2018

Michael Hexner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Morris Perlis

 

Director

 

March 13, 2018

Morris Perlis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ J. Brendan Ryan

 

Director

 

March 13, 2018

J. Brendan Ryan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Samuel L. Shimer

 

Director

 

March 13, 2018

Samuel L. Shimer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Emmett DeMoss

 

Director

 

March 13, 2018

Emmett DeMoss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Allan C. Silber

 

Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

March 13, 2018

Allan C. Silber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

39


INDEX OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Title of Document

 

 

 

 

F-1


Report of Independent Regis tered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Heritage Global Inc.

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Heritage Global Inc. and its subsidiaries (the Company) as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, stockholders' equity, and cash flows, for the years then ended, and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements (collectively, the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ SQUAR MILNER LLP

 

We have served as the Company's auditor since 2014.

 

San Diego, California

March 13, 2018

 

 

 

F-2


HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands of US dollars, except share amounts)

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

2,109

 

 

$

2,530

 

Accounts receivable (net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $110 in 2017; $36 in 2016)

 

 

384

 

 

 

1,247

 

Inventory – equipment

 

 

170

 

 

 

263

 

Other current assets

 

 

357

 

 

 

393

 

Total current assets

 

 

3,020

 

 

 

4,433

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

145

 

 

 

156

 

Intangible assets, net

 

 

3,877

 

 

 

4,122

 

Goodwill

 

 

6,158

 

 

 

6,158

 

Other assets

 

 

250

 

 

 

275

 

Total assets

 

$

13,450

 

 

$

15,144

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

$

5,019

 

 

$

6,746

 

Current portion of related party debt

 

 

382

 

 

 

664

 

Current portion of third party debt

 

 

356

 

 

 

-

 

Current portion of contingent consideration

 

 

2,774

 

 

 

961

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

133

 

 

 

199

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

8,664

 

 

 

8,570

 

Non-current portion of related party debt

 

 

-

 

 

 

348

 

Non-current portion of third party debt

 

 

786

 

 

 

-

 

Non-current portion of contingent consideration

 

 

-

 

 

 

1,772

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

512

 

 

 

960

 

Total liabilities

 

 

9,962

 

 

 

11,650

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 11)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, $10.00 par value, authorized 10,000,000 shares; issued and

   outstanding 569 Class N shares at December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016

 

 

6

 

 

 

6

 

Common stock, $0.01 par value, authorized 300,000,000 shares; issued and

   outstanding 28,480,148 shares at December 31, 2017 and 28,470,148 shares

   at December 31, 2016

 

 

285

 

 

 

285

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

284,396

 

 

 

284,149

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(281,124

)

 

 

(280,875

)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(75

)

 

 

(71

)

Total stockholders’ equity

 

 

3,488

 

 

 

3,494

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

 

$

13,450

 

 

$

15,144

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

F-3


HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(In thousands of US dollars, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services revenue

 

$

17,937

 

 

$

15,371

 

Asset sales

 

 

2,192

 

 

 

8,462

 

Total revenues

 

 

20,129

 

 

 

23,833

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating costs and expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of services revenue

 

 

3,007

 

 

 

4,187

 

Cost of asset sales

 

 

1,706

 

 

 

7,131

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

13,597

 

 

 

12,009

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

313

 

 

 

316

 

Settlement accrual (Note 9)

 

 

1,142

 

 

 

-

 

Total operating costs and expenses

 

 

19,765

 

 

 

23,643

 

Operating income

 

 

364

 

 

 

190

 

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

(938

)

 

 

(92

)

Interest and other expense, net

 

 

(95

)

 

 

(63

)

(Loss) income before income tax expense

 

 

(669

)

 

 

35

 

Income tax (benefit) expense

 

 

(420

)

 

 

21

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(249

)

 

$

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic

 

 

28,468,545

 

 

 

28,400,886

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted

 

 

28,468,545

 

 

 

28,434,832

 

Net (loss) income per share – basic

 

$

(0.01

)

 

$

0.00

 

Net (loss) income per share – diluted

 

$

(0.01

)

 

$

0.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(249

)

 

$

14

 

Other comprehensive loss:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreign currency translation adjustment

 

 

(4

)

 

 

(17

)

Comprehensive loss

 

$

(253

)

 

$

(3

)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

F-4


HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(In thousands of US dollars, except share amounts)

 

 

 

Preferred stock

 

 

Common stock

 

 

Additional

paid-in

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

Accumulated

other

comprehensive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Amount

 

 

Shares

 

 

Amount

 

 

capital

 

 

deficit

 

 

loss

 

 

Total

 

Balance at December 31, 2015

 

 

569

 

 

$

6

 

 

 

28,467,648

 

 

$

285

 

 

$

284,046

 

 

$

(280,889

)

 

$

(54

)

 

$

3,394

 

Issuance of common stock from

   stock option awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

Forfeiture of unvested common stock from restricted stock awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(37,500

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

99

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

 

 

 

 

 

14

 

Foreign currency translation

   adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(17

)

 

 

(17

)

Balance at December 31, 2016

 

 

569

 

 

 

6

 

 

 

28,470,148

 

 

 

285

 

 

 

284,149

 

 

 

(280,875

)

 

 

(71

)

 

 

3,494

 

Issuance of common stock from

   stock option awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

246

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

246

 

Net loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(249

)

 

 

 

 

 

(249

)

Foreign currency translation

   adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4

)

 

 

(4

)

Balance at December 31, 2017

 

 

569

 

 

$

6

 

 

 

28,480,148

 

 

$

285

 

 

$

284,396

 

 

$

(281,124

)

 

$

(75

)

 

$

3,488

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

F-5


 

 

HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands of US dollars)

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Cash flows provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(249

)

 

$

14

 

Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating

   activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accrued interest added to principal of related party debt

 

 

33

 

 

 

65

 

Settlement accrual (Note 9)

 

 

1,142

 

 

 

 

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

938

 

 

 

92

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

246

 

 

 

99

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

313

 

 

 

316

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

 

863

 

 

 

(601

)

Inventory - equipment

 

 

93

 

 

 

3,847

 

Other assets

 

 

12

 

 

 

7

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(1,761

)

 

 

79

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

(448

)

 

 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

1,182

 

 

 

3,918

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows used in investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash distributions from equity method investments

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

Purchase of property and equipment

 

 

(44

)

 

 

(99

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(44

)

 

 

(79

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flows used in financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from debt payable to related party

 

 

750

 

 

 

1,099

 

Repayment of debt payable to related party

 

 

(1,413

)

 

 

(1,873

)

Repayment of debt payable to third parties

 

 

 

 

 

(2,500

)

Payment of contingent consideration

 

 

(897

)

 

 

(816

)

Proceeds from exercise of options to purchase common shares

 

 

1

 

 

 

4

 

Net cash used in financing activities

 

 

(1,559

)

 

 

(4,086

)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

 

 

(421

)

 

 

(247

)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year

 

 

2,530

 

 

 

2,777

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year

 

$

2,109

 

 

$

2,530

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental cash flow information:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid for income taxes

 

$

23

 

 

$

30

 

Cash paid for interest

 

$

3

 

 

$

187

 

Non-cash Investing and Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promissory note issued in connection with settlement accrual (Note 9)

 

$

1,142

 

 

$

-

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

F-6


HERITAGE GLOBAL INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Note 1 – Description of Business and Principles of Consolidation

These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Heritage Global Inc. together with its subsidiaries, including Heritage Global Partners, Inc. (“HGP”), Equity Partners HG LLC (“Equity Partners”), National Loan Exchange Inc. (“NLEX”) and Heritage Global LLC (“HG LLC”). These entities, collectively, are referred to as “HGI,” the “Company,” “we” or “our” in these consolidated financial statements. These consolidated financial statements were prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”), as outlined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and include the assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses of all subsidiaries over which HGI exercises control. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

The Company’s sole operating segment is its asset liquidation business, which began operations in 2009 with the establishment of HG LLC. The business was subsequently expanded by the acquisitions of Equity Partners, HGP and NLEX in 2011, 2012 and 2014, respectively. As a result, HGI is positioned to provide an array of value-added capital and financial asset solutions:  auction and appraisal services, traditional asset disposition sales, and financial solutions for distressed businesses and properties.

 

 

Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Use of estimates

The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant estimates include the assessment of collectability of revenue recognized and the valuation of accounts receivable, inventory, investments, goodwill and intangible assets, liabilities, contingent consideration, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and stock-based compensation. These estimates have the potential to significantly impact our consolidated financial statements, either because of the significance of the financial statement item to which they relate, or because they require judgment and estimation due to the uncertainty involved in measuring, at a specific point in time, events that are continuous in nature.

Foreign Currency

The functional currency of foreign operations is deemed to be the local country’s currency.  Assets and liabilities of operations outside of the United States are generally translated into U.S. dollars, and the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss.

 

Reclassifications

Certain prior year balances within the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.  

Nature of Business

The Company earns revenue both from commission or fee-based services, and from the sale of distressed or surplus assets. With respect to the former, revenue is recognized as the services are provided. With respect to the latter, the majority of the asset sale transactions are conducted directly by the Company and the revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold. Fee based revenue is reported as services revenue, and the associated direct costs are reported as cost of services revenue. At the balance sheet date, any unsold assets which the Company owns are reported as inventory, any outstanding accounts receivable are included in the Company’s accounts receivable, and any associated liabilities are included in the Company’s accrued liabilities. Equipment inventory is expected to be sold within a year and is therefore classified as a current asset; however, real estate inventory is generally classified as non-current due to the uncertainty in the timing of its sale.

The remaining asset sale transactions involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company (“LLC”) agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). These transactions are accounted for as equity method investments, and, accordingly, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported

 

F-7


as earnings of equity method investments. At each balance sheet date, the Company’s investments in these Joint Ventures a re reported in the consolidated balance sheet as equity method investments. Although the Company generally expects to exit each of its investments in Joint Ventures in less than one year, they are classified on the balance sheet as non-current assets due t o the uncertainties relating to the timing of resale of the underlying assets as a result of the Joint Venture relationship . The Company monitors the value of the Joint Ventures’ underlying assets and liabilities, and records a write down of its investment s if the Company concludes that there has been a decline in the value of the net assets. As the activity of the Joint Ventures involves asset purchase/resale transactions, which is similar in nature to the Company’s other asset liquidation activities, the earnings (losses) of the Joint Ventures are included in the operating income/loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Liquidity

The Company has incurred significant operating losses for the past several years and has partially relied on debt financing to fund its operations.  As of December 31, 2017, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $281.1 million and a working capital deficit of $5.6 million. During 2017, the Company generated approximately $1.2 million in positive cash flows from operating activities. Until the Company achieves consistent profitability, it will need to continue to partially rely on debt financing to fund its operations.  Management expects that a combination of cash flows from the Company’s asset liquidation operations and proceeds from existing debt financing will generate cash flow sufficient to fund the Company’s operations through the one year period subsequent to the financial statement issuance date, and beyond.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions in the United States. These accounts may from time to time exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on such accounts.

Accounts receivable

The Company’s accounts receivable primarily relate to the operations of its asset liquidation business. They generally consist of three major categories: (1) fees, commissions and retainers relating to appraisals and auctions, (2) receivables from asset sales, and (3) receivables from Joint Venture partners. The initial value of an account receivable corresponds to the fair value of the underlying goods or services. To date, a majority of the receivables have been classified as current and, due to their short-term nature, any decline in fair value would be due to issues involving collectability. At each financial statement date the collectability of each outstanding account receivable is evaluated, and an allowance is recorded if the book value exceeds the amount that is deemed collectable. See Note 8 for more detail regarding the Company’s accounts receivable.

Inventory

The Company’s inventory consists of assets acquired for resale, which are normally expected to be sold within a one-year operating cycle. The inventory is recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value.     

Fair value of financial instruments

The fair value of financial instruments is the amount at which the instruments could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced sale or liquidation. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the carrying values of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, deposits, other assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value given the short term nature of these instruments.  The Company’s debt obligations approximate fair value as a result of the interest rate on the debt obligation approximating prevailing market rates.  

There are three levels within the fair value hierarchy:  Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 – significant other observable inputs; and Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs. The Company employs fair value accounting for only the contingent consideration recorded as part of the acquisition of NLEX. The fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, which is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and therefore fall within Level 3.  See Note 10 for more discussion of this contingent consideration.

 

F-8


Business combinations

Acquisitions are accounted for under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”), which requires that assets acquired and liabilities assumed that are deemed to be a business are recorded based on their respective acquisition date fair values. ASC 805 further requires that separately identifiable intangible assets be recorded at their acquisition date fair values and that the excess of consideration paid over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed (including identifiable intangible assets) should be recorded as goodwill.

Intangible assets

Intangible assets are recorded at fair value upon acquisition. Those with an estimated useful life are amortized, and those with an indefinite useful life are unamortized. Subsequent to acquisition, the Company monitors events and changes in circumstances that require an assessment of intangible asset recoverability. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed at least annually to determine both if they remain indefinite-lived and if they are impaired.  The Company assesses whether or not there have been any events or changes in circumstances that suggest the value of the asset may not be recoverable. Amortized intangible assets are not tested annually, but are assessed when events and changes in circumstances suggest the assets may be impaired. If an assessment determines that the carrying amount of any intangible asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized in the statement of operations, determined by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to its fair value. All of the Company’s identifiable intangible assets at December 31, 2017 have been acquired as part of the acquisitions of HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and are discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2017.

Goodwill

Goodwill, which results from the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination, is not amortized but, in accordance with GAAP, is tested at least annually for impairment. The Company performs its annual impairment test as of October 1.  Testing goodwill is a two-step process, in which the carrying amount of the reporting unit associated with the goodwill is first compared to the reporting unit’s estimated fair value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the fair values of the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities are analyzed to determine whether the goodwill of the reporting unit has been impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the Company’s recorded goodwill exceeds its implied fair value as determined by this two-step process. FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment , provides the option to perform a qualitative assessment prior to performing the two-step process, which may eliminate the need for further testing. Goodwill, in addition to being tested for impairment annually, is tested for impairment at interim periods if an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is more likely than not that the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired.  

In testing goodwill, the Company initially uses a qualitative approach and analyzes relevant factors to determine if events and circumstances have affected the value of the goodwill. If the result of this qualitative analysis indicates that the value has been impaired, the Company then applies a quantitative approach to calculate the difference between the goodwill’s recorded value and its fair value. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the recorded value exceeds its fair value.  All of the Company’s goodwill relates to its acquisitions of Equity Partners in 2011, HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and is discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2017.

Deferred income taxes

The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and the amounts at which they are carried in the financial statements, based upon the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company establishes a valuation allowance when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. In 2014, as a result of incurring losses in previous years, the Company recorded a valuation allowance against all of its net deferred tax assets.  The Company continues to carry the full valuation allowance as of December 31, 2017. For further discussion of our income taxes, see Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

F-9


On December 22, 2017, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act) was enacted into law and the new legislation contains several key tax provisions that affected us, including a one-time mandatory transition tax (Toll Charge) on accumulated foreign earning s and a reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018, among others. We are required to recognize the effect of the tax law changes in the period of enactment, such as determining the transition tax, remeasuring our U.S. defer red tax assets and liabilities as well as reassessing the net realizability of our deferred tax assets and liabilities.

Contingent consideration

At December 31, 2017 the Company’s contingent consideration consists of the estimated fair value of remaining payments pursuant to an earn-out provision payable to the former owner and current president of NLEX (“David Ludwig”) that was part of the consideration for the acquisition of NLEX in 2014. The estimated fair value assigned to the contingent consideration at the acquisition date was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. Its fair value is assessed quarterly, and any adjustments, together with the accretion of the present value discount, are reported as a fair value adjustment on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations.  As of December 31, 2017, and based on management’s best estimate, the earn-out maximum amount of $5.0 million will be reached in 2018 due to the performance of NLEX. As a result, the Company adjusted its contingent consideration liability to the fair value of the remaining earn-out payment to David Ludwig, or $2.8 million. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements for more discussion of the contingent consideration.

Liabilities and contingencies

The Company is involved from time to time in various legal matters arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. On a case by case basis, the Company evaluates the likelihood of possible outcomes for this litigation. Based on this evaluation, the Company determines whether a loss accrual is appropriate. If the likelihood of a negative outcome is probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accounts for the estimated loss in the current period. See Note 14 for further discussion.

Revenue recognition

Services revenue generally consists of commissions and fees from providing auction services, appraisals, brokering of sales transactions and providing merger and acquisition advisory services. Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the selling price is fixed and determinable, goods or services have been provided, and collectability is reasonably assured.  For asset sales revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold, the buyer has assumed the risks and awards of ownership, the Company has no continuing substantive obligations and collectability is reasonably assured.

We evaluate revenue from asset liquidation transactions in accordance with the accounting guidance to determine whether to report such revenue on a gross or net basis.  We have determined that we act as an agent for our fee based asset liquidation transactions and therefore we report the revenue from transactions in which we act as an agent on a net basis.  

The Company also earns asset liquidation income through asset liquidation transactions that involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company (“LLC”) agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). For these transactions, the Company does not record asset liquidation revenue or expense. Instead, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. In general, the Joint Ventures apply the same revenue recognition and other accounting policies as the Company.

Cost of services revenue and asset sales

Cost of services revenue generally includes the direct costs associated with generating commissions and fees from the Company’s auction and appraisal services, merger and acquisition advisory services, and brokering of charged-off receivable portfolios.  The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which the revenue they relate to is recorded.  Cost of asset sales generally includes the cost of purchased inventory and the related direct costs of selling inventory.  The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which title to the inventory passes to the buyer, and the buyer assumes the risk and reward of the inventory.  

Stock-based compensation

The Company’s stock-based compensation is primarily in the form of options to purchase common shares. The grant date fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.  The determination of the fair value of the Company’s stock options is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the price of the Company’s common stock, the

 

F-10


expected volatility of the stock price over the expected life of the award, and expected exercise behavior.   The grant date fair value of the awards is subsequently expensed over the vesting period, net of estimated forfeitures. The provisions of the Company’s stock-based compensation plans do not require the Company to settle any options by transferring cash o r other assets, and therefore the Company classifies the option awards as equity.  See Note 15 for further discussion of the Company’s stock-based compensation.

Advertising

The Company expenses advertising costs in the period in which they are incurred.  Advertising and promotion expense included in selling, general and administrative expense for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, was $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update (“ASU”) 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (“ASU 2016-07”), which simplifies the transition to the equity method of accounting by, among other things, eliminating retroactive adjustments to the investments as a result of an increase in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence.  ASU 2016-07 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.  

In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (“ASU 2016-09”), which provides improvements to employee share-based payment accounting.  ASU 2016-09 simplifies the accounting and presentation of various elements of share-based compensation including, but not limited to, income taxes, excess tax benefits, statutory tax withholding requirements, payment of employee taxes, and award assumptions.  ASU 2016-09 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU 2015-17”).  ASU 2015-17 requires all deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as non-current on the balance sheet.  This amendment simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes.  ASU 2015-17 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016.  ASU 2015-17 became effective January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Future accounting pronouncements

In 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 specifies a comprehensive model to be used in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers, and supersedes most of the current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The FASB subsequently issued amendments to ASU No. 2014-09 that have the same effective date and transition date. It applies to all contracts with customers except those that are specifically within the scope of other FASB topics, and certain of its provisions also apply to transfers of nonfinancial assets, including in-substance nonfinancial assets that are not an output of an entity’s ordinary activities. The core principal of the model is that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the transferring entity expects to be entitled in exchange. To apply the revenue model, an entity will:  1) identify the contract(s) with a customer, 2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and 5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. For public companies, ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2017. Upon adoption, entities can choose to use either a full retrospective or modified approach, as outlined in ASU 2014-09. As compared with current GAAP, ASU 2014-09 requires significantly more disclosures about revenue recognition. These new standards became effective for us on January 1, 2018, and will be adopted using the modified retrospective method through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of that date, as applicable. Based on our assessment of the impact that these new standards will have on our consolidated results of operations, financial position and disclosures completed to date, we have not identified any accounting changes that would materially impact the amount of reported revenues with respect to our service revenue and asset sales, or the timing of such revenues; however, certain changes are required for financial statement disclosure purposes.

In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”).  ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize a lease asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for the payments to be made to lessor, on its balance sheet for all operating leases greater than 12 months.  ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018.  The Company has not yet adopted ASU 2016-02 nor assessed its potential impact on the financial statements.      

 

F-11


In 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASU 2016-15”), which clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments.  The specific cash flow issues addressed by ASU 2016-1 5, with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice, are as follows: (1) Debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; (2) Settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with insignificant coupon interest rates; (3) C ontingent consideration payments made after a business combination; (4) Proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; (5) Proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies; (6) Distributions received from equity method investees; (7) Beneficial interest in securitization transactions; and (8) Separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance in principle.  ASU 2016-15 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning a fter December 15, 2017.  The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2016-15 on its consolidated financial statements.

In 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2017-01, Business Combinations (“ASU 2017-01”), which clarifies the definition of a business under topic 805 of the Accounting Standards Codification.  The main provisions of ASU 2017-01 provide a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business.  The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business.  ASU 2017-01 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017.  The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-01 on its consolidated financial statements.    

In 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards update 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (“ASU 2017-04”), which simplifies the test for goodwill impairment.  The main provisions of ASU 2017-04 eliminate the second step of the goodwill impairment test which previously was performed to determine the goodwill impairment loss for an entity by calculating the difference between the implied fair value of the entity’s goodwill and its carrying value.  Under ASU 2017-04, if a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, an entity will record an impairment charge based on that difference.  The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill which is allocated to that reporting unit.  ASU 2017-04 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019.  Early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017.  The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-04 on its consolidated financial statements.

 

Note 3 – Real Estate Inventory

In 2016, the Company entered into a purchase and sale agreement with International Auto Processing Inc. (“IAP”) to sell the Company’s real estate inventory for $4.1 million.  IAP subsequently assigned the purchase and sale agreement to an affiliate, International Investments and Infrastructure, LLC (“III”).  

Concurrently, the Company entered into a five-year lease agreement with an affiliate of III to lease the building during the escrow period, which would terminate at the close of escrow.  The purchase agreement gave III the right to terminate its obligation to consummate the sale for any reason before June 9, 2016, but in the event the sale was not consummated, the lease agreement would have continued through the end of the lease term.  

Annual rental payments under the lease were $0.7 million, and the lessee was responsible for all operating costs associated with the property.  During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company earned rental income of $0.3 million, which is included within services revenue in the consolidated statement of operations.  

In the third quarter of 2016, the Company completed the sale of its real estate inventory and, in accordance with the purchase and sale agreement, terminated the previously existing lease agreement between the Company and an affiliate of III.  The Company sold the real estate inventory for $4.1 million and, after recognizing carrying costs of $3.7 million and closing costs of $0.3 million, realized a gross profit of $0.1 million.

 

Note 4 – Equity Method Investments

The table below details the Company’s share of revenues and operating income earned from the Joint Ventures in which it was invested during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Revenues

 

$

66

 

 

$

198

 

Operating income

 

$

47

 

 

$

52

 

 

 

F-12


The table below details the summarized components of assets and liabilities, as at December 31, 2017 and 2016, attributable to HGI from the Joint Ventures in which it was invested at those dates (in thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Current assets

 

$

 

 

$

57

 

Current liabilities

 

$

 

 

$

106

 

 

The table below details the classification of the earnings of equity method investments within the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Earnings of equity method investments included within operating income

 

$

47

 

 

$

52

 

(Losses) earnings of equity method investments included within other income

 

 

-

 

 

 

(3

)

Total earnings of equity method investments

 

$

47

 

 

$

49

 

 

 

 

Note 5 – Earnings per Share

The Company is required, in periods in which it has net income, to calculate basic earnings per share (“basic EPS”) using the two-class method. The two-class method is required because the Company’s Class N preferred shares, each of which is convertible to 40 common shares, have the right to receive dividends or dividend equivalents should the Company declare dividends on its common stock. Under the two-class method, earnings for the period are allocated on a pro-rata basis to the common and preferred stockholders. The weighted-average number of common and preferred shares outstanding during the period is then used to calculate basic EPS for each class of shares.

In periods in which the Company has a net loss, basic loss per share is calculated by dividing the loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. The two-class method is not used in periods in which the Company has a net loss because the preferred stock does not participate in losses.

Stock options and other potential common shares are included in the calculation of diluted earnings per share (“diluted EPS”), since they are assumed to be exercised or converted, except when their effect would be anti-dilutive.

The table below shows the calculation of the shares used in computing diluted EPS:

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31,

 

Weighted Average Shares Calculation:

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

 

 

28,468,545

 

 

 

28,400,886

 

Treasury stock effect of common stock options and restricted stock awards

 

 

-

 

 

 

33,946

 

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding

 

 

28,468,545

 

 

 

28,434,832

 

There were 5.0 million potential common shares not included in the computation of diluted EPS because they would have been anti-dilutive for the year ended December 31, 2017 as the Company generated a net loss, and therefore basic EPS was the same as diluted EPS during 2017. There were 5.1 million potential common shares not included for the year ended December 31, 2016.

 

 

Note 6 – Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at historical cost. Depreciation is provided for in amounts sufficient to relate the cost of depreciable assets to operations over their estimated service lives on a straight-line basis. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the useful life of the asset or the lease term, whichever is shorter. Estimated service lives are five years for furniture, fixtures and office equipment and three years for software and technology assets. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance not considered to substantially lengthen the life of the asset or increase capacity or efficiency are charged to expense as incurred.

 

F-13


The following summarizes the components of the Company’s property and equipment (in thousands):

 

 

 

December 31, 2017

 

 

December 31, 2016

 

Furniture, fixtures and office equipment

 

$

164

 

 

$

144

 

Software and technology assets

 

 

291

 

 

 

254

 

 

 

 

455

 

 

 

398

 

Accumulated depreciation

 

 

(310

)

 

 

(242

)

Property and equipment, net

 

$

145

 

 

$

156

 

 

 

Depreciation expense related to property and equipment was $68,000 and $56,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

 

 

Note 7 – Intangible Assets and Goodwill

Intangible assets

The details of identifiable intangible assets as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 are shown below (in thousands except for lives):

 

Amortized Intangible Assets

Original Life

(years)

 

Remaining Life

(years)

 

Carrying Value

December 31

2016

 

 

Amortization

 

 

Carrying Value

December   31,

2017

 

Customer Network (HGP)

12

 

6.2

 

$

158

 

 

$

(22

)

 

$

136

 

Trade Name (HGP)

14

 

8.2

 

 

953

 

 

 

(103

)

 

 

850

 

Customer Relationships (NLEX)

7.6

 

4.1

 

 

550

 

 

 

(110

)

 

 

440

 

Website (NLEX)

5

 

1.4

 

 

24

 

 

 

(10

)

 

 

14

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

1,685

 

 

 

(245

)

 

 

1,440

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unamortized Intangible Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trade Name (NLEX)

N/A

 

N/A

 

 

2,437

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,437

 

Total

 

 

 

 

$

4,122

 

 

$

(245

)

 

$

3,877

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amortized Intangible Assets

Original Life

(years)

 

Remaining Life

(years)

 

Carrying Value

December 31

2015

 

 

Amortization

 

 

Carrying Value

December 31

2016

 

Customer Network (HGP)

12

 

7.2

 

$

178

 

 

$

(20

)

 

$

158

 

Trade Name (HGP)

14

 

9.2

 

 

1,059

 

 

 

(106

)

 

 

953

 

Customer Relationships (NLEX)

7.6

 

5.1

 

 

660

 

 

 

(110

)

 

 

550

 

Non-Compete Agreement (NLEX)

2

 

0

 

 

15

 

 

 

(15

)

 

 

 

Website (NLEX)

5

 

2.4

 

 

33

 

 

 

(9

)

 

 

24

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

1,945

 

 

 

(260

)

 

 

1,685

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unamortized Intangible Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trade Name (NLEX)

N/A

 

N/A

 

 

2,437

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,437

 

Total

 

 

 

 

$

4,382

 

 

$

(260

)

 

$

4,122

 

 

Amortization expense during each of 2017 and 2016 was $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively.  No significant residual value is estimated for these intangible assets.

The Company performed its annual impairment test for the year ended December 31, 2017, in the fourth quarter, and determined that no impairment charges were necessary.  

 

F-14


The estimated amortization expense during the next five fiscal years and thereafter is shown below (in thousands ):

 

Year

 

Amount

 

2018

 

$

245

 

2019

 

 

240

 

2020

 

 

236

 

2021

 

 

236

 

2022

 

 

127

 

Thereafter

 

 

356

 

Total

 

$

1,440

 

 

Goodwill

As part of its acquisitions, the Company recognized goodwill of $0.6 million related to Equity Partners in 2011, $4.7 million related to HGP in 2012, and $3.5 million related to NLEX in 2014.

Goodwill consisted of the following at December 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

 

Acquisition

 

December 31, 2017

 

 

December 31, 2016

 

Equity Partners

 

$

573

 

 

$

573

 

HGP

 

 

2,040

 

 

 

2,040

 

NLEX

 

 

3,545

 

 

 

3,545

 

Total goodwill

 

$

6,158

 

 

$

6,158

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Company performed its annual impairment test for the year ended December 31, 2017, in the fourth quarter, and determined that no impairment charges were necessary.

 

 

 

Note 8 – Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable

Accounts receivable

As described in Note 2, the Company’s accounts receivable are primarily related to the operations of its asset liquidation business. With respect to auction proceeds and asset dispositions, including NLEX’s accounts receivable brokerage transactions, the assets are not released to the buyer until payment has been received. The Company, therefore, is not exposed to significant collectability risk relating to these receivables. Given this experience, together with the ongoing business relationships between the Company and its joint venture partners, the Company has not historically required a formal credit quality assessment in connection with these activities. The Company has not experienced any significant collectability issues with its accounts receivable. As the Company’s asset liquidation business expands, more comprehensive credit assessments may be required.

The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts was $110,000 and $36,000 as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.  

 

F-15


Accounts payable and accru ed liabilities

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities consisted of the following at December 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Due to auction clients

 

$

2,478

 

 

$

3,152

 

Sales and other taxes

 

 

342

 

 

 

935

 

Remuneration and benefits

 

 

957

 

 

 

637

 

Accounting, auditing and tax consulting

 

 

174

 

 

 

151

 

Customer deposits

 

 

102

 

 

 

 

Due to Joint Venture partners

 

 

247

 

 

 

1,371

 

Asset liquidation expenses

 

 

254

 

 

 

257

 

Interest expense

 

 

42

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

423

 

 

 

243

 

Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

$

5,019

 

 

$

6,746

 

 

 

Note 9 – Debt

Outstanding debt at December 31, 2017 and 2016 is summarized as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related party debt

 

$

382

 

 

$

664

 

Third party debt

 

 

356

 

 

 

 

Non-current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related party debt

 

 

 

 

 

348

 

Third party debt

 

 

786

 

 

 

 

Total debt

 

$

1,524

 

 

$

1,012

 

 

The Company entered into a loan with an unrelated third party (the “Third Party Debt”) during 2014 for a principal amount of $2.5 million. The loan bore interest at 6% and had an original maturity date of January 15, 2015. In December 2014, the maturity date was extended to January 15, 2016 at the same interest rate and in early 2016 the maturity date was further extended to January 15, 2017 at the same interest rate.  In the third quarter of 2016 the Company repaid $2.5 million of outstanding principal, plus accrued interest, on the Third Party Debt, and terminated the loan agreement with the third party.  

The Company’s related party debt (the “Street Capital Loan”) was originally entered into in 2003 and accrued interest at 10% per annum compounded quarterly from the date funds were advanced. The Street Capital Loan was originally secured by the assets of the Company.

In 2014, following Street Capital’s distribution of its ownership interest in HGI to Street Capital stockholders as a dividend in kind, the unpaid balance of the Street Capital Loan began accruing interest at a rate per annum equal to the lesser of the Wall St. Journal (“WSJ”) prime rate + 2.0%, or the maximum rate allowable by law. As of December 31, 2015, the interest rate on the loan was 5.50%. In the third quarter of 2016, following an amendment to the loan agreement, the Street Capital Loan began accruing interest at a rate per annum equal to the WSJ prime rate + 1.0%.  The Company also agreed to a monthly payment schedule to begin in the third quarter of 2016, and Street Capital removed the security from the Company’s assets.  As of December 31, 2017, the interest rate on the loan was 5.50%.  S ee Note 13 for further discussion of transactions with Street Capital.

In the first quarter of 2016, the Company entered into a related party loan with a trust controlled by certain executive officers of the Company.  The Company received proceeds of $0.4 million.  The loan accrued interest at 10% per annum and was payable within 90 days of the loan date.  The Company repaid the loan plus accrued interest of $8,000 in March 2016.    

In the third quarter of 2016, the Company entered into a related party loan with both an entity owned by certain executive officers of the Company (the “Entity”) and the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.  The Company received proceeds of $0.7 million.  The loan accrued interest at 10% per annum and was payable within 180 days of the loan date.  The Company repaid the loan plus accrued interest of $19,000 as of December 31, 2016.  

 

F-16


In the fourth quarter of 2016, the Company entered into a related party secured promissory note with the Entity for a revolving line of credit (the “Line of Credit”).  Under the terms of the Line of Credit, the Company received a revolving line of credit with an aggregate borr owing capacity of $1.5 million.  Interest under the Line of Credit is charged at a variable rate.  Aggregate loans under the Line of Credit up to $1.0 million incur interest at a variable rate per annum based on the rate charged to the Entity by its bank, plus 2.0%.  Amounts outstanding at any time in excess of $1.0 million incur interest at a rate of 8.0% per annum.  The Company is required to pay the Entity an annual commitment fee of $15,000, payable on a monthly basis, and due regardless of amounts draw n against the line.  Further, the Entity is eligible to participate in the net profits and net losses of certain industrial auction principal and guarantee transactions entered into by the Company on or after January 1, 2017, and consummated on or prior to the maturity date.  Principal transactions are those in which the Company purchases assets for resale.  Guarantee transactions are those in which the Company guarantees its client a minimum amount of proceeds from the auction.   The Line of Credit matures at the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the Agreement, (ii) the termination of the Entity’s line of credit with its bank, or (iii) forty-five (45) days following the date the Company closes a new credit facility with a financial institution . Dur ing 2017, the Company borrowed $750,000 on the Line of Credit and made one repayment of the full amount, including approximately $4,000 of interest. The total amount was outstanding for a one month period. The Company also incurred approximately $34,000 in expense based on the profit share provision for principal and guarantee transactions, as noted above.

On January 30, 2018, Heritage Global LLC (“HGLLC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Heritage Global Inc. (“HGI”), the registrant, settled a long-standing litigation matter that was commenced against the predecessor in interest of HGLLC. The settlement, which also involved several other co-defendant parties, included a complete release of HGLLC’s predecessor in interest and its successors and affiliates by the plaintiffs from all claims arising from or relating to the facts and circumstances underlying the litigation.  The portion of the settlement attributable to HGLLC’s predecessor in interest was paid on behalf of HGLLC by 54 Finance, LLC (“54 Finance”) (an affiliate of a co-defendant in the litigation) in consideration of a Promissory Note dated January 30, 2018 (the “Note”) from HGLLC in the amount of $1,260,000. Pursuant to a Guaranty dated January 30, 2018, HGI has guaranteed the obligations of HGLLC under the Note. HGLLC is required to pay off the Note in 36 equal installments of $35,000, and any remaining outstanding balance hereunder shall be due and payable in full on January 30, 2021. As of December 31, 2017, we accrued the present value of the Note based on the payment terms noted above and at an interest rate of 6.5%. The Note was recorded as this was determined to be a recognized subsequent event pursuant to ASC 855, Subsequent Events. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default (as defined below), in the sole discretion of 54 Finance, the outstanding principal balance of the Note will bear interest at a rate per annum (computed on the basis of a 360-day year, actual days elapsed) equal to 12%. An “Event of Default” means: (a) any failure of HGLLC to pay when due any amount thereunder, when and as due, (b) any failure on the part of HGLLC to pay upon 54 Finance’s demand any fees, costs, expenses or other charges hereunder or otherwise due to HGLLC under the Note or the Guaranty, (c) any breach, failure or default under the Guaranty, (d) HGLLC or HGI repudiates or revokes, or purports to repudiate or revoke, any obligation under the Note or the Guaranty, or the obligation of HGI under the Guaranty is limited or terminated by operation of law or by HGI, or (e) HGLLC or HGI shall be or become insolvent, however defined, or admit in writing its inability to pay debts as they mature, or make a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or shall institute any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding under the laws of any jurisdiction, or shall take any action to authorize such proceeding.

 

Note 10 – Fair Value Measurements

In accordance with the authoritative guidance for financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, the Company prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value from market-based assumptions to entity specific assumptions:

 

Level 1 – Inputs based on quoted market prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets at the measurement date.

 

Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar liabilities in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

 

Level 3 – Inputs which reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date.  The inputs are unobservable in the market and significant to the instruments valuation.

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had no Level 1 or Level 2 assets or liabilities measured at fair value.  As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company’s contingent consideration from the acquisition of NLEX in 2014 of $2.8 million and $2.7 million respectively, was the only financial asset or liability measured at fair value on a recurring basis, and was classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, which is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market.

 

F-17


The following tables present the fair value measurement hierarchy of the Company’s assets and liabilities on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 (in thousands):

 

 

 

Fair Value as of December 31, 2017

 

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

 

Total

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contingent consideration

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

2,774

 

 

$

2,774

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Value as of December 31, 2016

 

 

 

Level 1

 

 

Level 2

 

 

Level 3

 

 

Total

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contingent consideration

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

2,733

 

 

$

2,733

 

When valuing its Level 3 liabilities, the Company gives consideration to operating results, financial condition, economic and/or market events, and other pertinent information that would impact its estimate of the expected contingent consideration payment.  The valuation of the liability is primarily based on management’s estimate of the Net Profits of NLEX (as defined in the NLEX stock purchase agreement).  Given the short term nature of the contingent consideration periods, changes in the discount rate are not expected to have a material impact on the fair value of the liability.

The following table summarizes the changes in the fair value of the contingent consideration liability during 2016 and 2017 (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2015

 

$

3,457

 

Payment of contingent consideration

 

 

(816

)

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

92

 

Balance at December 31, 2016

 

 

2,733

 

Payment of contingent consideration

 

 

(897

)

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

938

 

Balance at December 31, 2017

 

$

2,774

 

The fair value adjustment for the period ended December 31, 2017 includes the Company’s assumption that the earn-out maximum amount of $5.0 million will be reached in 2018 due to the performance of NLEX. As a result, the Company adjusted its contingent consideration liability to the fair value of the remaining earn-out payments to David Ludwig, or $2.8 million.  

The Company had no assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis as of December 31, 2017.      

 

Note 11 – Commitments and Contingencies

At December 31, 2017, HGI’s lease commitments related to its offices in California, Illinois, Maryland, and Arizona, an automobile lease, and a copier lease. The California office leases expire in January 2020 and April 2021; the Illinois office lease expires in June 2018, and the Arizona office lease expires in August 2019. The automobile lease expires in May 2020, and the copier lease expires in October 2018. The annual lease obligations are as shown below (in thousands):

 

2018

 

 

$

504

 

2019

 

 

 

468

 

2020

 

 

 

345

 

2021

 

 

 

112

 

 

2022

 

 

 

-

 

Total

 

 

$

1,429

 

In the normal course of its business, HGI may be subject to contingent liabilities with respect to assets sold either directly or through Joint Ventures. At December 31, 2017 HGI does not expect any potential contingent liabilities, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on its assets or results of operations.

 

 

 

F-18


Note 12 – Income Taxes

In 2014 the Company recorded a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, reducing the carrying value of those assets to zero, as a result of historical losses.  At December 31, 2016 and 2017, the Company continued to carry a full valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets.  The following table summarizes the change in the valuation allowance during 2016 and 2017 (in thousands):

 

Balance at December 31, 2015

 

$

31,922

 

Change during 2016

 

 

(264

)

Balance at December 31, 2016

 

 

31,658

 

Change during 2017

 

 

(1,726

)

Balance at December 31, 2017

 

$

29,932

 

At December 31, 2017 the Company has aggregate tax net operating loss carry forwards of approximately $76.2 million ($61.1 million of unrestricted net operating tax losses and approximately $15.2 million of restricted net operating tax losses) and unused minimum tax credit carry forwards of $0.5 million. Substantially all of the net operating loss carry forwards and unused minimum tax credit carry forwards expire between 2024 and 2036.

The reported tax expense varies from the amount that would be provided by applying the statutory U.S. Federal income tax rate to the income (loss) before income tax expense for the following reasons in each of the years ending December 31 (in thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Expected federal statutory tax benefit

 

$

(228

)

 

$

14

 

Increase (reduction) in taxes resulting from:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State income taxes recoverable

 

 

21

 

 

 

21

 

Non-deductible expenses (permanent differences)

 

 

51

 

 

 

45

 

Change in valuation allowance

 

 

(1,726

)

 

 

(264

)

Tax rate changes

 

 

1,477

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(15

)

 

 

205

 

Income tax (benefit) expense

 

$

(420

)

 

$

21

 

 

The Company’s utilization of restricted net operating tax loss carry forwards against future income for tax purposes is restricted pursuant to the “change in ownership” rules in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. These rules, in general, provide that an ownership change occurs when the percentage shareholdings of 5% direct or indirect stockholders of a loss corporation have, in aggregate, increased by more than 50 percentage points during the immediately preceding three years.

Restrictions in net operating loss carry forwards occurred in 2001 as a result of the acquisition of the Company by Street Capital. Further restrictions may have occurred as a result of subsequent changes in the share ownership and capital structure of the Company and Street Capital and disposition of business interests by the Company. Pursuant to Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code, the annual usage of the Company’s net operating loss carry forwards was limited to approximately $2.5 million per annum until 2008 and $1.7 million per annum thereafter. There is no certainty that the application of these “change in ownership” rules may not recur, resulting in further restrictions on the Company’s income tax loss carry forwards existing at a particular time. In addition, further restrictions, reductions in, or expiration of net operating loss and net capital loss carry forwards may occur through future merger, acquisition and/or disposition transactions or failure to continue a significant level of business activities. Any such additional limitations could require the Company to pay income taxes on its future earnings and record an income tax expense to the extent of such liability, despite the existence of such tax loss carry forwards.

All loss taxation years remain open for audit pending the application of the respective tax losses against income in a subsequent taxation year. In general, the statute of limitations expires three years from the date that a company files a tax return applying prior year tax loss carry forwards against income for tax purposes in the later year.  The 2014 through 2016 taxation years remain open for audit.

The Company is subject to state income tax in multiple jurisdictions. In most states, the Company does not have tax loss carry forwards available to shield income attributable to a particular state from being subject to tax in that particular state.

 

F-19


The components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 are a s follows in (thousands):

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Net operating loss carry forwards

 

$

29,303

 

 

$

29,909

 

Stock based compensation

 

 

610

 

 

 

1,070

 

Write-down of real estate inventory

 

 

 

 

 

1,569

 

Trade names

 

 

(690

)

 

 

(1,363

)

Customer relationships

 

 

(123

)

 

 

(293

)

Fair value adjustment of contingent consideration

 

 

168

 

 

 

(55

)

Other

 

 

152

 

 

 

(139

)

Gross deferred tax assets

 

 

29,420

 

 

 

30,698

 

Less: valuation allowance

 

 

(29,932

)

 

 

(31,658

)

Deferred tax assets (liabilities), net of valuation allowance

 

$

(512

)

 

$

(960

)

 

As a result of the acquisition of NLEX in 2014, and the recognition of an indefinite-lived intangible asset in the amount of $2.4 million related to the NLEX trade name, the Company is required to record a non-current deferred tax liability in the amount of $0.5 million.

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act) was enacted on December 22, 2017, and significantly affected U.S. tax law by changing how the U.S. imposes income tax on multinational corporations. The Tax Act reduces the U.S. statutory corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% for our tax years beginning in 2018, which resulted in the re-measurement of the federal portion of our deferred tax liabilities as of December 31, 2017 from 35% to the new 21% tax rate; a reduction of approximately $1.5 million. Additionally, the Company had no impact in the U.S. with respect to the Toll Charge under the Tax Act, as a result of the allocation of foreign subsidiary deficits against positive earnings.

Uncertain Tax Positions

The accounting for uncertainty in income taxes requires a more-likely-than-not threshold for financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Upon adoption of this principle in 2007, the Company derecognized certain tax positions that, upon examination, more likely than not would not have been sustained as a recognized tax benefit. As a result of derecognizing uncertain tax positions, the Company has recorded a cumulative reduction in its deferred tax assets of approximately $12.0 million associated with prior years’ tax benefits, which are not expected to be available primarily due to change of control usage restrictions, and a reduction in the rate of the tax benefit associated with all of its tax attributes.

Due to the Company’s historic policy of applying a valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets, the effect of the above was an offsetting reduction in the Company’s valuation allowance. Accordingly, the above reduction had no net impact on the Company’s financial position, operations or cash flow. As of December 31, 2017, the unrecognized tax benefit has been determined to be $12.1 million, which is unchanged from the balance as of December 31, 2016.

In the unlikely event that these tax benefits are recognized in the future, the amount recognized at that time should result in a reduction in the Company’s effective tax rate.

The Company’s policy is to recognize accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. Because the Company has tax loss carry forwards in excess of the unrecognized tax benefits, the Company did not accrue for interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits either upon the initial derecognition of uncertain tax positions or in the current period.

It is possible that the total amount of the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits will significantly increase or decrease within the next 12 months. These changes may be the result of future audits, the application of “change in ownership” rules leading to further restrictions in tax losses arising from changes in the capital structure of the Company, reductions in available tax loss carry forwards through future merger, acquisition and/or disposition transactions, failure to continue a significant level of business activities, or other circumstances not known to management at this time. At this time, an estimate of the range of reasonably possible outcomes cannot be made.

 

 

 

F-20


Note 13 – Related Party Transactions

Debt with Street Capital

Until the second quarter of 2014, as discussed below, Street Capital was the Company’s majority stockholder. Street Capital remained a related party following the distribution of its investment in HGI to Street Capital stockholders as a result of the Services Agreement and the relationship of the Company’s Chairman of the Board discussed below. The Services Agreement terminated on August 31, 2015, however subsequent to its termination Street Capital remained a related party as a result of the Street Capital Loan as well as the Company’s Chairman of the Board, who is also a significant stockholder of the Company, is also the chairman of the board of Street Capital.  At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company reported amounts owed to Street Capital of $0.4 million and $1.0 million, respectively, as related party debt (see Note 9). Total interest of $0.5 million has been accrued to the principal balance of the debt through December 31, 2017, and remains unpaid.

 

Transactions with Other Related Parties

Through April 2016, as part of the operations of HGP the Company leased office space in Foster City, CA that is owned by an entity jointly controlled by Ross Dove and Kirk Dove, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President and Chief Operating Officer, respectively.  The Company terminated the lease agreement in the second quarter of 2016.  The total amount paid to the related party for the lease is outlined in the table below.  Both Ross Dove and Kirk Dove shared equally in the payments in 2016.    

As part of the operations of NLEX, the Company leases office space in Edwardsville, IL that is owned by the President of NLEX, David Ludwig. The total amount paid to the related party is outlined in the table below.  All of the payments were made to David Ludwig.    

The lease amounts paid by the Company to the related parties, which are included in selling, general and administrative expenses during the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, are detailed below (in thousands):

 

 

 

Year ended

December 31,

 

Leased premises location

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Foster City, CA

 

$

 

 

$

76

 

Edwardsville, IL

 

 

100

 

 

 

99

 

Total

 

$

100

 

 

$

175

 

In 2016 the Company entered into multiple related party loan agreements with certain executive officers of the Company.  These related party loans are described more fully in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements.  Both Ross Dove and Kirk Dove, who were parties to the related party loans, shared equally in all payments made by the Company to satisfy obligations under the loan agreements.      

During 2017 the Company paid David Ludwig $0.9 million for his third earn-out provision payment.    

 

 

Note 14 – Legal Proceedings

The Company is involved in various legal matters arising out of its operations in the normal course of business, none of which are expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

 

 

Note 15 – Stockholders’ Equity

Capital Stock

The Company’s authorized capital stock consists of 300,000,000 common shares with a par value of $0.01 per share and 10,000,000 preferred shares with a par value of $10.00 per share.  

During 2016 and 2017 the Company issued 40,000 and 10,000 shares of common stock, respectively, pursuant to the exercise of stock options.   

 

F-21


Each Class N preferred share has a voting entitlement equal to 40 common shares, votes with the common stock on an as-converted basis and is senior to all other preferred stock of the Company. Dividends, if any, will be paid on an as-converted basis equal to common stock dividends. The conversion value of each Class N preferred share is $1,000, and each share is convertible to 40 common shares at the rate of $25.00 per common share.  The Class N preferred stockholders are entitled to liquidation preference over common stockholders equivalent to $1,000 per share. During 2016 and 2017, no shares of the Company’s Class N preferred stock were conver ted into shares of the Company’s common stock.   

 

Stock- Based Compensation Plans

At December 31, 2017, the Company had four stock-based compensation plans which are described below.  The fourth of these plans was adopted on May 5, 2016, and received approval from the Company’s stockholders at the special meeting of stockholders held on September 14, 2016.  

2003 Stock Option and Appreciation Rights Plan

In 2003, the stockholders of the Company approved the 2003 Stock Option and Appreciation Rights Plan (the “2003 Plan”) which provided for the issuance of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options and Stock Appreciation Rights (“SARs”) up to an aggregate of 2,000,000 shares of common stock (subject to adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, and other similar events). The plan had a ten-year term, and therefore after 2013 no options have been issued. The price at which shares of common stock covered by the option can be purchased was determined by the Company’s Board or a committee thereof; however, in the case of incentive stock options the exercise price was never less than the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date the option was granted.

 

2003 Plan

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Options outstanding, beginning of year

 

 

995,000

 

 

 

1,170,000

 

Options forfeited

 

 

 

 

 

(115,000

)

Options exercised

 

 

(10,000

)

 

 

(40,000

)

Options expired

 

 

 

 

 

(20,000

)

Options outstanding, end of year

 

 

985,000

 

 

 

995,000

 

 

The outstanding options vest over four years at exercise prices ranging from $0.08 to $2.00 per share. No SARs were issued under the 2003 Plan.

2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan

In 2010, the Company’s Board approved the 2010 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan (the “2010 Plan”) to induce certain key employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries who are in a position to contribute materially to the Company’s prosperity to remain with the Company, to offer such persons incentives and rewards in recognition of their contributions to the Company’s progress, and to encourage such persons to continue to promote the best interests of the Company. The Company reserved 1,250,000 shares of common stock (subject to adjustment under certain circumstances) for issuance or transfer upon exercise of options granted under the 2010 Plan. Options may be issued under the 2010 Plan to any key employees or consultants selected by the Company’s Board (or an appropriately qualified committee). Options may not be granted with an exercise price less than the fair market value of the common stock of the Company as of the day of the grant. Options granted pursuant to the plan are subject to limitations on transfer and execution and may be issued subject to vesting conditions. Options may also be forfeited in certain circumstances. During 2016, options to purchase 70,000 shares were granted to the Company’s independent directors as part of the annual compensation, options to purchase 125,000 shares were granted to the Company’s independent directors as a special grant in connection with the Company’s grant of options to its employee base in the fourth quarter, and options to purchase 525,000 shares were granted to the Company’s officers as part of the Company’s grant to its employee base in the fourth quarter.  During 2017, options to purchase 50,000 shares were granted to the Company’s independent directors as part of their annual compensation.    

 

2010 Plan

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Options outstanding, beginning of year

 

 

780,000

 

 

 

150,000

 

Options granted

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

720,000

 

Options forfeited

 

 

 

 

 

(90,000

)

Options outstanding, end of year

 

 

830,000

 

 

 

780,000

 

 

 

F-22


The outstanding options vest over four years at exercise prices ranging from $0.24 to $0.70 per share.  

Equity Partners Stock Option Plan

In 2011, the Company’s Board approved the Equity Partners Stock Option Plan (the “Equity Partners Plan”) to allow the Company to issue options to purchase common stock as a portion of the purchase price of Equity Partners. The Company reserved 230,000 shares of common stock for issuance upon exercise of options granted under the Equity Partners Plan. During 2011, options to purchase 230,000 shares with an exercise price of $1.83, vesting immediately, were granted under the Equity Partners Plan.

 

Equity Partners Plan

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Options outstanding, beginning of year

 

 

230,000

 

 

 

230,000

 

Options granted

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options forfeited

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options outstanding, end of year

 

 

230,000

 

 

 

230,000

 

 

         Other Options Issued

In 2012, the Company’s Board approved the issuance of options as part of the acquisition of HGP, and reserved 625,000 shares of common stock for issuance upon option exercise. The options have an exercise price of $2.00, and vested over four years, beginning on the first anniversary of the grant date. Unlike other options issued by the Company under its stock option plans, the options issued as part of the HGP acquisition survive termination of employment. None of the option holders have terminated their employment with the Company.

 

Other Options

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Options outstanding, beginning of year

 

 

625,000

 

 

 

625,000

 

Options granted

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options forfeited

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options outstanding, end of year

 

 

625,000

 

 

 

625,000

 

Heritage Global Inc. 2016 Stock Option Plan

On May 5, 2016, subject to the approval received by the stockholders of the Company on September 14, 2016, the Company adopted the Heritage Global Inc. 2016 Stock Option Plan (the “2016 Plan”) which provided for the issuance of incentive stock options and non-qualified stock options up to an aggregate of 3,150,000 shares of common stock (subject to adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, and other similar events).  Options may not be granted with an exercise price less than the fair market value of the common stock of the Company as of the day of the grant. Options granted pursuant to the plan are subject to limitations on transfer and execution and may be issued subject to vesting conditions. Options may also be forfeited in certain circumstances. During 2016 options to purchase 2,539,200 shares of common stock were granted to the Company’s employees.  

 

2016 Plan

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Options outstanding, beginning of year

 

 

2,539,200

 

 

 

 

Options granted

 

 

 

 

 

2,539,200

 

Options forfeited

 

 

(168,750

)

 

 

 

Options outstanding, end of year

 

 

2,370,450

 

 

 

2,539,200

 

The outstanding options vest over four years at an exercise price of $0.45 per share.

 

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Total compensation cost related to stock options in 2017 and 2016 was $0.2 million and $0.1 million, respectively. These amounts were recorded in selling, general and administrative expense in both years. During 2017 options to purchase 10,000 shares were exercised.  During 2016 options to purchase 40,000 shares were exercised.  The tax benefit recognized by the Company related to these option exercises was not material.   

 

F-23


In connection with the stock option grants during 2017 and 2016, the fair value of each option grant was e stimated on the date of the grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following assumptions:

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

Risk-free interest rate

 

1% - 2%

 

 

1% - 2%

 

Expected life (years)

 

 

6.80

 

 

 

6.75

 

Expected volatility

 

95%

 

 

94% - 99%

 

Expected dividend yield

 

Zero

 

 

Zero

 

The risk-free interest rates are those for U.S. Treasury constant maturities for terms matching the expected term of the option. The expected life of the options is calculated according to the simplified method for estimating the expected term of the options, based on the vesting period and contractual term of each option grant. Expected volatility is based on the Company’s historical volatility. The Company has never paid a dividend on its common stock and therefore the expected dividend yield is zero.

The following summarizes the changes in common stock options for 2017 and 2016:

 

 

 

2017

 

 

2016

 

 

 

Options

 

 

Weighted

Average

Exercise

Price

 

 

Options

 

 

Weighted

Average

Exercise

Price

 

Outstanding at beginning of year

 

 

5,169,200

 

 

$

0.96

 

 

 

2,175,000

 

 

$

1.70

 

Granted

 

 

50,000

 

 

$

0.48

 

 

 

3,259,200

 

 

$

0.45

 

Exercised

 

 

(10,000

)

 

$

0.08

 

 

 

(40,000

)

 

$

0.12

 

Expired

 

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

(20,000

)

 

$

0.15

 

Forfeited

 

 

(168,750

)

 

$

0.45

 

 

 

(205,000

)

 

$

0.92

 

Outstanding at end of year

 

 

5,040,450

 

 

$

0.97

 

 

 

5,169,200

 

 

$

0.96

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Options exercisable at year end

 

 

2,672,337

 

 

$

1.43

 

 

 

1,847,500

 

 

$

1.86

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted-average fair value of options granted

   during the year

 

 

 

 

 

$

0.48

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

0.31

 

As of December 31, 2016, the Company had 3,321,700 unvested options with a weighted average grant date fair value of $0.32 per share.  As of December 31, 2017, the Company had 2,368,113 unvested options with a weighted average grant date fair value of $0.31 per share.    

As of December 31, 2017, the total unrecognized stock-based compensation expense related to unvested stock options was $0.7 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.9 years.

The total fair value of options vesting during the years ending December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $0.3 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The unvested options have no associated performance conditions. In general, the Company’s employee turnover is low, and the Company expects that the majority of the unvested options will vest according to the standard four-year timetable.

The following table summarizes information about all stock options outstanding at December 31, 2017:

 

Exercise price

 

Options

Outstanding

 

 

Weighted

Average

Remaining

Life   (years)

 

 

Weighted

Average

Exercise

Price

 

 

Number

Exercisable

 

 

Weighted

Average

Remaining

Life (years)

 

 

Weighted

Average

Exercise

Price

 

$ 0.24 to $ 0.40

 

 

40,000

 

 

 

8.3

 

 

$

0.24

 

 

 

10,000

 

 

 

8.3

 

 

$

0.24

 

$ 0.42 to $ 1.00

 

 

3,340,450

 

 

 

8.4

 

 

$

0.48

 

 

 

1,002,337

 

 

 

7.4

 

 

$

0.56

 

$ 1.83 to $ 2.00

 

 

1,660,000

 

 

 

0.8

 

 

$

1.97

 

 

 

1,660,000

 

 

 

0.8

 

 

$

1.97

 

 

 

 

5,040,450

 

 

 

6.0

 

 

$

0.97

 

 

 

2,672,337

 

 

 

3.3

 

 

$

1.43

 

 

At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options was $1,000 and $4,000, respectively.

 

 

F-24


Restricted Stock

Restricted stock awards represent a right to receive shares of common stock at a future date determined in accordance with the participant’s award agreement.  There is no exercise price and no monetary payment required for receipt of restricted stock awards or the shares issued in settlement of the award.  Instead, consideration is furnished in the form of the participant’s services to the Company.  Compensation cost for these awards is based on the fair value on the date of grant and recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.

The Company granted restricted stock awards for 300,000 shares to two key employees (150,000 each), in connection with their employment agreements in 2014.    

The following summarizes the changes in restricted stock awards for the year ended December 31, 2017:

 

 

 

Restricted Stock Awards

 

 

Weighted

Average

Grant Date

Fair Value

 

Unvested at December 31, 2016

 

 

37,500

 

 

$

0.38

 

Vested

 

 

(37,500

)

 

$

0.38

 

Unvested at December 31, 2017

 

 

 

 

$

0.38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vested at December 31, 2017

 

 

262,500

 

 

$

0.38

 

The Company recognized stock-based compensation expense related to restricted stock awards of $4,000 and $18,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

 

 

Note 16 – Subsequent Events

The Company has evaluated events subsequent to December 31, 2017 for potential recognition or disclosure in its consolidated financial statements.

On January 30, 2018, Heritage Global LLC (“HGLLC”) settled a long-standing litigation matter that was commenced against the predecessor in interest of HGLLC. The portion of the settlement attributable to HGLLC’s predecessor in interest was paid on behalf of HGLLC by 54 Finance, LLC (“54 Finance”) (an affiliate of a co-defendant in the litigation) in consideration of a Promissory Note dated January 30, 2018 (the “Note”) from HGLLC in the amount of $1,260,000. Refer to Note 9 for further discussion.  

There have been no other material subsequent events requiring disclosure in these financial statements.

 

 

 

F-25